The San Diego Padres have been a popular World Series pick up to this point. They were the hottest club in baseball for the final 62 games of 2024, and they dominated the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card series.
However, they suffered a significant loss in that encounter. Joe Musgrove departed his Game 2 start after 3 1/3 innings with an apparent elbow injury, and the severity was unknown, leaving supporters waiting with bated breath to find out his status for the rest of the postseason run.
The Padres promised an update on Friday, but it was not what fans were looking for. AJ Preller, President of Baseball Operations, addressed the media and stated that Musgrove will undergo Tommy John surgery. That means he’ll probably not pitch again until 2026.
In the meantime, the Padres have a rotation plan. We don’t know what their lineup will look like after Game 2 (Dylan Cease and Yu Darvish), but it’s likely they’ll be able to survive without Musgrove.
Joe Musgrove will have Tommy John surgery.
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) October 4, 2024
Padres News: Joe Musgrove to undergo Tommy John surgery after injury update
It’s unfortunate that the Los Angeles Dodgers catch a break for the NLDS, especially considering their decade-long dominance over the NL West. They hardly need such luck.
However, all hope is not lost for the Padres. Joe Musgrove made only 19 starts during the regular season, and he wasn’t fully healthy for about a third of them. His season got off to a rough start due to lingering shoulder issues from last September, and an elbow flare-up after his May 1 start landed him on the injured list. He returned for two starts in May but was sidelined again until mid-August.
When healthy, Musgrove made San Diego a powerhouse in the rotation, but the team is no stranger to his absence. Although his presence was crucial, especially with the importance of pitching depth in the postseason, the Padres are still equipped to compete. They’ll rely on Cease, Darvish, Michael King, Martin Perez, and one of the league’s best bullpens to fill the void. Preller had prepared for this possibility, and while their World Series chances may have taken a hit, the Padres remain one of the most talented teams in contention.
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