San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (44) delivers to the plate in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 26, 2024. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Padres' Joe Musgrove Takes Major Step in Progression Toward Return

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By J.P. Hoornstra | Last updated Jul 12, 2025 12:30 PM ET

Throwing off a mound is table stakes for most pitchers. For Joe Musgrove on Wednesday, it was the best thing that has happened to him professionally in months.

When Musgrove threw in the Petco Park bullpen, it was his first time off a mound since he underwent Tommy John surgery last October.

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“It went really well,” he said afterward, via Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “I feel great right now.”

For what it's worth, Acee reported that Musgrove's bullpen session was moved up two days. The catcher was standing, Musgrove’s fastball was recorded at 80 mph, and the pitcher characterized the intensity of his throws at about 75 percent.

“It’s a big progression,” Musgrove told Acee. “I think even more so the feeling I get from (the training staff) — like they’re comfortable enough to let me do it before I’m supposed to be on the mound.”

Joe Musgrove update from the man himself pic.twitter.com/3taIg31WcQ
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Monday was Musgrove's first day throwing from flat ground at 120 feet, he said during the Padres' TV broadcast of Monday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Although he only threw fastballs in the bullpen, he has begun throwing curveballs and cutters from flat ground.

According to Acee, Musgrove is two weeks away from moving his flat-ground throws out to 150 feet. The 32-year-old right-hander told Acee he expects to be throwing “full-go bullpens” at some point in August.

“Trending in the right direction,” Musgrove said.

Musgrove's last appearance on a mound before this week came in Game 2 of the 2024 Wild Card series against the Atlanta Braves. He threw 3.2 innings, allowing only one hit, one run, and striking out four batters, before succumbing to a season-ending elbow injury.

The diagnosis of a torn UCL came with the recommendation of Tommy John surgery, which Musgrove underwent in October of last year.

The surgery, though disappointing, was hardly surprising after Musgrove needed a cortisone injection and a PRP infusion in his right elbow in June 2024. That he was able to pitch at all last year — let alone go 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA in 19 starts — was somewhat of a bonus during the Padres' 93-win campaign.

Now, Musgrove appears on track to return at some point in 2026.

With a base salary of $20 million each of the next two seasons, he'll be the Padres' highest-paid pitcher in 2027, the final year of his contract. (Yu Darvish is owed $21 million this year, and Nick Pivetta will make $20.5 million in 2026.)

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This article first appeared on San Diego Padres on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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