Padres' Joe Musgrove Provides Massive Update on Return Timeline

San Diego Padres star pitcher Joe Musgrove provided an in-depth update about his return timeline at spring training.

“I could throw right now,” he said, via Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. “I feel good enough.

“I feel like I’m ahead of schedule right now… I feel like I’m in a really good spot for having another month-and-a-half to go before I can throw.”

Although Musgrove won't be able to pitch for some time, the San Diego starter is still very present at the Peoria Sports Complex. He hopes to play an impactful role in 2025, regardless of his health status.

“I just know, like, I see how some people are when they’re on the (injured list), especially guys that are, like, key players and leadership pieces,” Musgrove said. “When those guys aren’t around, or they’re around and they’re not in the dugout and they’re, like, hanging out in the clubhouse during games, and they’re not engaged, and it’s kind of like vacation mode. One, it kind of pisses me off. Two, it’s like you’re still a part of the team.

"… I’ve been around guys that have been through not playing for a year, and they’re like, high energy every day. They’re like, into the game, as if they’re going to have some kind of effect on it, even though they’re not. It’s like they still feel like they carry the stress of like, ‘It’s (expletive) go time, it’s game time.’ And that lifts everybody around. It lifted me when I was a young guy. So I want to kind of be that presence.”

Musgrove believes he can start facing hitters by September, which would be huge for a Padres rotation that will be void of its ace throughout the regular season.

“So at the time postseason comes around, I’ll be fully healthy,” he said. “I’ll be back to throwing to hitters. It’s just a matter of (whether) I get built up and like, a decent enough distance to where I can go out and start a game, and then do they want me to go start my first game in a playoff atmosphere?

"So there’s a lot of things working against me right now, but I feel good. I’m not trying to be a (expletive) hero, but I’m gonna give it every chance. And if I’m, you know, a month away or so and I realize I’m not ready, I’m not going to push it. But I’ve got my sights set on October.”

Musgrove is expected to miss the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. However, he has his sights set on an October return, which could be a massive boost for the playoff-hopeful Padres.