Manny Machado: Musgrove’s Spring Debut Could Stabilize Padres Rotation
Joe Musgrove made his first public mound appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery, delivering a controlled 60-pitch outing that matters now as the Padres try to shore up a shaky rotation; manny machado figures among the high-profile names around which expectations for the club are framed.
Craig Stammen and Joe Musgrove
Seventeen months after surgery, Musgrove took the next measured step back toward a full season, throwing 60 pitches, 36 of them strikes, over just more than two innings in an exhibition against Great Britain. Manager Craig Stammen framed the performance as progress: he called Musgrove “capable of being the best pitcher in the National League” while cautioning that a spectacular rebound is not guaranteed.
Musgrove’s outing was modest by design. It was his first time facing hitters in a televised setting since Oct. 2, 2024, when he left a postseason game with a damaged ulnar collateral ligament and had Tommy John surgery nine days later. He allowed one run on five hits and a walk in a contest that ended tied 2-2, throwing two-plus innings as part of a conservative plan to rediscover feel and rhythm.
Statistically, elements of his arsenal looked familiar: he averaged 94. 2 mph on his four-seam fastball and produced pitch metrics — spin and movement — in line with previous seasons. But command remains a work in progress. Musgrove threw 36 strikes overall, a 60 percent rate, and landed only two strikes among 12 curveballs, a reminder that sequencing and precision lag behind velocity following a long layoff.
Manny Machado and the Padres’ rotation calculus
The timing of Musgrove’s return matters because San Diego’s rotation picture is unsettled. With Musgrove projected as the likely No. 3 starter, his ability to take the ball consistently would have ripple effects: the manager suggested a healthy, dependable Musgrove could help stabilize the whole unit, which includes pitchers with uneven recent histories.
Stammen and Musgrove both emphasized cautious optimism. Musgrove said he does not expect to reach 180 or 200 innings in the immediate future but does expect to be able to “take the ball consistently throughout the year and be productive. ” That posture shaped how he approached Wednesday’s outing: short leash on pitch count, emphasis on recovery, and incremental increases rather than a rushed return.
The broader context underscores why the club is measured. Recent returns from Tommy John across the league have been mixed: some pitchers went on to All-Star seasons, while others experienced career-worst results. That uneven track record explains why the Padres are neither assuming a miraculous jump back to pre-injury form nor writing Musgrove off. What makes this notable is the combination of Musgrove’s proven track record from 2021 to 2023 and the medical reality that many pitchers report not feeling fully themselves until roughly two years after surgery.
Musgrove acknowledged the adjustment to spring’s faster pace, including the pitch clock and more frequent in-game work. He described the outing as “another step” — a line that captures both progress and restraint. The club’s immediate aim is durability and consistency rather than headline-grabbing innings totals: stabilize the rotation by getting Musgrove back to starting regularly, even if he does so on a limited-inning basis.
Practical markers will be easy to track: Weeks and innings as he ramps up, strike percentages and command of breaking stuff, and how he recovers from appearances on the five-day schedule. For now, the 60-pitch appearance, the 94. 2 mph average fastball, and the manager’s clear message about tempered expectations establish a baseline from which both progress and setbacks will be judged.
Musgrove’s next outings this spring will determine whether the cautious optimism holds. In the short term, his controlled return offers the Padres a measurable, if tentative, route toward the rotation stability they seek.
