San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) played light catch on Monday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last October. Musgrove was pretty fired up about it and said, "I'm just thinking of all the hard work I've done over the last six months." It's a big step for the 32-year-old veteran, but he still has a ways to go in his comeback from elbow reconstruction and he's not expected to pitch at all for the Padres in 2025. For that reason, Musgrove isn't worth stashing at all in single-year fantasy leagues. He should be ready to go for the start of the 2026 season next spring, but many fantasy managers will be hesitant to rely on a veteran hurler on the wrong side of 30 that is coming off TJ surgery. The former first-rounder was a first-time All-Star in 2022 and was very reliable in his first two seasons with the Friars, but he made just 36 starts combined in 2023-24 due to injuries.

According to MLB.com, San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) plans to ramp up using plyometric balls during spring training but is not expected to resume throwing until midseason. The 32-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery in October and is expected to remain sidelined during the entire 2025 season. However, seeing him begin his recovery process during spring training is promising. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he should be a full-go for the 2026 season. Last summer, the 32-year-old posted a 3.88 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP across 99 2/3 innings. He struck out 101 batters and showed strong command of his pitches with a 5.6 percent walk rate. However, he generated a poor 4.34 xERA, which suggests he will likely face some regression when he returns to the mound. Fantasy managers should expect Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish, and Michael King to lead the rotation in 2025, with Randy Vasquez and Matt Waldron serving as the fourth and fifth options.

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) underwent his Tommy John surgery on Friday with Dr. Keith Meister. Musgrove felt tightness in his elbow in his start in Game 2 of the Wild-Card Series against the Atlanta Braves on Oct. 2 and needed TJ surgery, which will keep him out for the entire 2025 season. Elbow issues -- he also dealt with a bone spur in his right elbow -- sent the 31-year-old to the injured twice in 2024, but this elbow issue is obviously much more serious. Musgrove looked off early on in 2024 but bounced back to finish with a decent 3.88 ERA (3.96 FIP), a 1.17 WHIP and a 101:23 K:BB in 99 2/3 innings over his 19 starts. It's now back-to-back injury-plagued seasons for the veteran right-hander, and his fantasy stock will surely be depressed when he returns to the mound in 2026 after a year off. The good news is his strikeout rate was basically the same this year as it was in his All-Star season of 2022.

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery, according to general manager A.J. Preller. It was announced earlier on Friday that Musgrove would not be available for the National League Division Series against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers, but now Musgrove will miss the entire postseason and all of the 2025 season. The 31-year-old veteran was pulled from his start early on Wednesday in the Wild-Card Series against the Atlanta Braves with tightness in his right elbow, and an MRI exam on Thursday showed UCL damage. SD will hope that right-hander Yu Darvish and left-hander Martin Perez can step up behind Dylan Cease and Michael King heading into the NLDS. Musgrove had two trips to the injured list in 2024 due to elbow injuries and finished 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 101 K's in 99 2/3 frames over his 19 starts.

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) will undergo an MRI exam on his right elbow after leaving his start on Wednesday in Game 2 of the Wild-Card Series against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park with right-elbow tightness in the fourth inning. Musgrove has been on the injured list twice this year with elbow issues stemming from bone spurs, but he said he didn't think the tightness he felt on Wednesday was related to what sidelined him from late May through mid-August. An initial UCL test came back clean, but we won't have full clarity on his outlook for the rest of the postseason until we know the results of his MRI. The 31-year-old was cruising in Wednesday's game and had been one of baseball's best pitchers after returning in August, so losing him for any amount of time in October would be a huge blow to the Padres' rotation. If Musgrove is unavailable the rest of the way, SD will hope right-hander Yu Darvish can pick up some of the slack.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) was humming along in Wednesday's wild-card matchup before showing signs of an injury in the fourth inning. Musgrove left with what the Padres are describing as elbow tightness after tossing three-and-two-thirds innings of one-run ball, allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out four. It is unclear at this point if the injury will affect the veteran's availability for the remainder of the postseason, but the righty has had a history of elbow issues so the Padres will hope it's nothing serious this time around. Keep an eye out for an update regarding the severity before the NLDS begins on Saturday.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove extended his quality-start streak to three in Monday's 3-0 win over the Tigers. Musgrove pitched six innings, allowing three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. The 31-year-old missed a chunk of the season due to an elbow issue and pitched poorly before going on the injured list. However, he has looked much better in his five starts since returning, posting a stellar 1.30 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings. Musgrove had been a consistent fantasy option prior to the start of this season, so he could serve as a potential league-winner if he can stay hot for the final month of the season. He will have a decent chance to extend his quality-start streak in his next matchup against the Giants.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove dominated the New York Mets on Friday night at Petco Park, allowing a lone hit with nine strikeouts over seven scoreless innings. If Musgrove wasn't working with an eye on his workload on Friday night, he may very well have been able to go the distance. His lone blemish was a Starling Marte double that just got over the head of right fielder David Peralta, pouring in 58 of his 75 pitches for strikes against the Mets. The 31-year-old veteran right-hander may be pitching through a bone spur in his elbow, but he's looked awfully sharp with a 0.57 ERA and 16 punchouts with three walks over his last 15 2/3 innings (three starts) since coming off the injured list. Musgrove belongs in all fantasy lineups for Wednesday's scheduled start on the road against the St. Louis Cardinals.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) has been activated from the 60-day injured list on Monday. The right-hander will take the ball for the first time since going down in late May due to an elbow issue. He'll take the mound in a favorable matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Musgrove has struggled during his 10 starts before landing on the injured list. Hopefully some time off has helped Musgrove get back on the right track.

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow), who is getting close to a return from the injured list, will not make his return to the Padres' starting rotation this weekend on the road against the Miami Marlins, with left-hander Martin Perez and right-handers Matt Waldron and Dylan Cease scheduled to start in the three-game series. Instead, Musgrove is now likely to return and start on Monday at Petco Park against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. The 31-year-old tossed 3 1/3 innings (43 pitches) in a minor-league rehab start with Single-A Lake Elsinore on Sunday. Because of the fact that he's been out since late May with a bone spur and bruise in his right elbow, Musgrove is likely to be on a pitch limit and will be a very risky fantasy option next week. Musgrove wasn't exactly pitching all that well in 10 starts before his injury, either, with a 5.66 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 49 1/3 frames.

San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt has previously said that there is "a high probability" starting pitcher Joe Musgrove's (elbow) next outing would come with the big-league club, and the team initially planned for Sunday in Miami against the last-place Marlins. When Dylan Cease's start on Wednesday was shortened to one inning due to rain, however, Shildt noted that Cease would start in Miami, which presumably bumps Musgrove's return to Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Petco Park. Musgrove is expected to be on a limited pitch count of around 60 when he makes his return from right elbow inflammation. Although fantasy managers may have to wait a little bit longer for the 31-year-old veteran right-hander to be activated from the injured list, Musgrove should be stashed in all leagues still with a favorable matchup awaiting him on Monday.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) has a good chance at returning to the mound this weekend. Manager Mike Shildt told reporters there's a high probability of Musgrove pitching against the Miami Marlins. The 31-year-old has been sidelined since late May due to a lingering elbow issue. This has basically been a lost season for Musgrove, but he still has a chance to contribute down the stretch of the season. He should get a favorable matchup against the struggling Marlins offense. Fantasy managers who still have Musgrove rostered should prepare to activate him this weekend.

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) will begin his minor-league rehab assignment with an unnamed affiliate, according to manager Mike Shildt. It comes after Musgrove threw 40 pitches during a two-inning simulated game at the team's spring training complex in Arizona on Tuesday against Mariners minor-leaguers. The 31-year-old responded well after that test and will now resume throwing in games in the minors. Since Musgrove has been out since late May due to a bone spur and right-elbow inflammation, he's likely to require at least a couple of rehab starts before the Padres feel comfortable having him rejoin their starting rotation. Musgrove finished last year on the injured list and has been on the IL two separate times in 2024, so it's fair to wonder how effective he'll be when he returns after he didn't look like himself in his 10 starts this year.

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) tossed two simulated innings at the team's spring training complex in Arizona on Tuesday, throwing roughly 40 pitches against Mariners minor-leaguers in a controlled setting. The next step for Musgrove could be a minor-league rehab assignment, which would potentially put him on track for a mid-August return. He's been on the injured list twice this year with right-elbow inflammation, but he thinks the extra rest this time around has allowed his injury to heal. The 31-year-old veteran received a platelet-rich plasma injection in addition to a prior cortisone shot. Musgrove will have a rotation spot waiting for him in San Diego when he's activated, but it remains to be seen if he'll be more effective to close out the year than he was in his first 10 starts, when he went 3-4 with a 5.66 ERA and 1.48 WHIP with only 44 punchouts and 15 walks in his 49 1/3 innings.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) threw more than 40 pitches at full intensity for a bullpen session ahead of Wednesday's game against the hosting Washington Nationals, simulating multiple innings. He got up to 93 mph with his fastball and used his entire arsenal. The internal discussions set for Thursday was whether his next step will still be to face hitters at Petco Park early in the week or progress to pitching an inning in a minor-league rehab start next week. Musgrove is beginning to gain traction toward a return to the Padres' rotation, which should happen at some point in mid-to-late August if his assignment starts before the end of July. The 31-year-old veteran right-hander should be an option for fantasy managers down the stretch of the season after he gets back from right elbow inflammation, and he'll be looking to get his year on track after producing a 5.66 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, and 44:15 K:BB over 49 1/3 innings (10 starts).

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) has made progress since landing on the injured list with an elbow injury on June 1. He threw his second bullpen session on Saturday, putting the right-hander in a good spot heading into August. However, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune says that Musgrove "isn't coming back for at least a month." It makes sense that the 31-year-old will likely miss the next month, as he just recently started throwing again. When his elbow does feel right, the veteran will also need a couple of rehab starts to build back up. So, fantasy managers shouldn't expect Musgrove to return until at least later in August.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) threw a successful 30-pitch bullpen session on Saturday. This marks the second bullpen session that Musgrove has thrown since landing on the injured list in the beginning of June. Padres manager Mike Shildt said on Saturday that Musgrove is getting closer to a return. The team hasn't given a timetable for his return but it sounds like Musgrove is making solid progress.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) threw off a bullpen mound ahead of Wednesday's game against the visiting Seattle Mariners. Although it's the first time Musgrove has done so in his throwing progression from right elbow inflammation, it was just a round of catch off the slope of the mound. Even so, it marks a notable step toward first real bullpen session, which should come promptly following the upcoming All-Star break. If the 31-year-old veteran right-hander bounces back well from the sessions, he could go on a minor-league rehab assignment sometime early in August and become an option for the Padres as well as fantasy managers at some point during the second half. Despite a bloated 5.66 ERA and 1.48 WHIP over 49 1/3 innings this season, Musgrove remains worth stashing in most leagues.

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) was scheduled to play catch on Monday for the first time since he was shut down with right-elbow inflammation and subsequently diagnosed with a bone spur. Musgrove has been throwing plyo balls for a few days without any issues in his elbow, so he'll take the next step to throwing a baseball. The 31-year-old would prefer to avoid going under the knife for the bone spur in his elbow, but if he continues to feel discomfort while throwing, it could be inevitable. And if Musgrove does have surgery, there's a chance we may not see him the rest of the season. If he avoids surgery altogether, we probably won't see Musgrove until late July, at the earliest. Musgrove ended last year on the injured list and wasn't sharp upon his return in 2024, as he's currently 3-4 with a 5.66 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 44 K's in his 10 starts.

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove has landed on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation. It's a concerning development for the 31-year-old who missed time in early May with an elbow issue before successfully returning with 8 1/3 frames of three-run ball (two earned) across a pair of starts before returning to the injured list on Saturday. All told, it has certainly been an uneven season from both a health and performance perspective as Musgrove owns a 5.66 ERA across 10 starts and 49 1/3 innings of work, although his 4.16 xFIP and 4.02 SIERA suggest he has dealt with some unfortunate luck to this point in the season. Fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on his status considering it's his second trip to the IL due to an elbow injury in less than a month.