Padres’ Joe Musgrove ‘running out of answers’ after latest rehab setback

SAN DIEGO — A little more than a week after he last took the mound, San Diego Padres starter Joe Musgrove said Friday he was “running out of answers” after the latest setback in his nearly two-year-long rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery.

“I don’t know what’s going on with my arm, but something about high-intensity throws is just not allowing me to play catch for a couple days,” said Musgrove, who acknowledged a temporary move to the bullpen is under consideration. “I don’t think I’m a wrap for the year. We’re just trying to look at some different options of shorter appearances, or different theories. I mean, I’m running out of answers.”

A former rotation stalwart and the author of the Padres’ first no-hitter, Musgrove underwent Tommy John surgery and flexor tendon repair in October 2024. After missing the 2025 season, he experienced a setback this spring and spent several months sidelined with a bone bruise in his elbow. He finally began a rehab assignment Aug. 4 and progressed to the point that the Padres envisioned him making an impact late this season.

But after the latest two of his four rehab starts, Musgrove did not recover as hoped, he said Friday. The right-hander has not thrown a bullpen session since he threw five innings and 60 pitches Aug. 27 with Triple-A El Paso.

A visibly frustrated Musgrove called his recent setback “the hardest thing ever.”

“I’ve thrown with soreness before. It’s just physically not possible for me to throw a ball,” Musgrove said. “Don’t have range of motion. Can’t put much on it. And it’s not a permanent thing. It comes back. It’s just, how do I manage these first couple days (after an outing) where I feel like I could throw again in two days if I needed to, which is what it’s going to take to pitch (in the majors).”

Padres manager Craig Stammen, speaking before Friday’s series opener against the New York Yankees, said Musgrove had not suffered a new or recurring injury.

“He had a surgery that was a very invasive surgery,” Stammen added. “It wasn’t just your normal Tommy John. Flexor was involved. … He’s just not able to recover as fast as he would like.”

Stammen said he was unsure if Musgrove will be able to return to game action in 2026.

“I think probably the next option on the table is him not pitching as long in outings and seeing if that helps recovery and then slowly build him up that way,” Stammen said.

Musgrove last pitched out of the bullpen on May 30, 2021, throwing five scoreless innings on four days’ rest and preserving a heavily taxed bullpen. The Padres now plan to find out if he can contribute in shorter stints, whether that means relief appearances or starts with a pitch count.

Meanwhile, fellow rehabbing starter Nick Pivetta is scheduled to throw a bullpen session this weekend. The Padres hope he can then make another rehab start or return from the injured list.

Pivetta, the team’s Opening Day starter, has not pitched in the majors since he was diagnosed with an elbow flexor strain in April. The right-hander walked off the field during an Aug. 4 rehab outing, later citing elbow tightness. He has since made two rehab starts without incident.