Since his disastrous start to the 2024 Cactus League season, San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Joe Musgrove has been putting in the extra work.
Going up against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his debut, Musgrove was pulled during the first inning after allowing four earned runs and two hits, while recording no strikeouts.
In particular, Musgrove has been working with teammate Manny Machado, who has been giving him some strong advice heading into the 2024 season.
“Manny’s the best. He sees things really well. After my second inning, he came in and told me something that he was seeing. My ball was cutting a little bit and he can tell me what he sees in the delivery, seeing me open early, seeing the ball early. Then went out the next inning and he didn’t swing at a single pitch. I think he was just up there watching, just tracking for me, so a lot more efficient the last at-bat. We talked after. He said it looked a lot better, was hard to see. I was hiding the ball better ... So nice having him back there, a guy with that experience and a good eye like that. It’s super helpful.”
— Joe Musgrove, via Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune
With Musgrove expected to be one of the Padres' top two starting pitchers along with Yu Darvish in 2024, the Padres definitely need him to get back into better form over the next few weeks.
The Padres' opening game is just 15 days away, so every extra rep is crucial. The Padres and Dodgers only need two starting pitchers for their regular season games in Seoul, South Korea, March 20-21. A week off will follow.
Last season Musgrove went 10-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 17 starts, but was limited by a pair of injuries. In February, he dropped a kettlebell on his left big toe in the weight room and missed most of April. In August, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.
Having a healthy, effective Musgrove is high on the list of priorities for the Padres.
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