“Devastated”: Padres Scramble for Replacement After Joe Musgrove Reveals Needing a Season-Ending Tommy John Surgery

Oct 5, 2024 | 10:12 AM EDT

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Can the Padres survive without Musgrove, or is their season already doomed to fail?

The Padres have received a nightmare update: Their pitcher Joe Musgrove’s elbow injury is worse than anyone expected. Joe had to cut short Wednesday’s Game 2 during a tight 5-4 win over the Braves in the NL Wild Card Series, feeling some tightness in his elbow. Although an MRI revealed the tear, neither the 31-year-old nor the San Diego team has disclosed just how serious it is—until now. As it turns out, Musgrove will need Tommy John surgery to repair the tear.

This procedure typically requires a grueling 12 to 18 months of recovery. Losing a star player like Joe Musgrove during the postseason? That’s tough to swallow. The Padres not only have to face their divisional rivals without one of their best starters, but with such a long recovery period, Musgrove is likely to miss the entire 2025 season due to the tear in his ulnar collateral ligament. This news is certainly heartbreaking for Padres fans, and you can bet the 31-year-old is feeling the weight of it, too.

How does Joe Musgrove feel about being sidelined?

As per MLB, when asked about the frustration of not being able to play for such a long time, Musgrove shared, “I’m devastated about not being able to finish what we started.” It’s hard to hear that, especially given the emotional rollercoaster this situation has put the pitcher through. Initially, an MRI didn’t reveal any significant issues with his UCL, which led him to believe everything was fine and that he could keep throwing without major concerns. Nothing as extreme as a UCL injury and Tommy John surgery was nowhere on his mind.

Even on Thursday, Musgrove delivered a solid performance. Going 3 2/3 innings with just one hit and one run against Atlanta. But the pain really kicked in during the third and especially the fourth innings. Forcing the pitcher to grind through the discomfort. Just when it seemed like he was pushing through, and threw two curveballs to Braves first baseman Matt Olson with noticeably decreased velocity. Manager Mike Shildt made the tough call to pull Musgrove from the game. Did you know it’s the first time in Joe Musgrove’s career that he has to walk off from the mound? Makes it even more heartbreaking.

But that doesn’t mean he has been free from the injury bug this season. Joe Musgrove has faced two stints on the injured list, both due to elbow issues. He spent a good chunk of time—from May 27 to August 11—on the sidelines dealing with bone spurs, even having to undergo a PRP injection to get back on track. But the recent injury is different and would sure have a huge impact on the Padres’ performance.

Joe’s absence might impact the Padres’ chances in the post-season.

Joe Musgrove has had his fair share of injuries in the 2024 season, but the pitcher made a strong comeback, posting an impressive 2.15 ERA in nine starts, with 36 hits and eight walks. And that’s not it; he had a remarkable 57 strikeouts over 50 1/3 innings under his hat. While Musgrove was able to make a comeback from the previous one, this recent injury will make him wait on the sidelines longer. And the timing couldn’t have been worse for the Padres; but what can they do right now?

Even though Shildt said, “I can’t say we’re going to be able to replace Joe but I can tell you we’ll just be going to compete”. A replacement is the only option left, and it feels like they already have a candidate for that. Who will replace Musgrove hasn’t been officially announced yet, but pitcher Martín Pérez is stepping into the spotlight. While Joe won’t be able to make it, the San Diego Padres still have to fight it through to clinch the title. The team is fully committed to the challenge, already scheduling their roster for the series.

Dylan Cease is set to start Game 1, with Yu Darvish lined up for Game 2 in Los Angeles. Then, when the series shifts to San Diego’s home ground next Tuesday, we can expect Michael King to take the mound. They seem to have a solid plan to fight against their divisional rivals, the Dodgers. But the big question still remains: Will the Padres manage to win the series without Joe, or will the Blue Crew come out on top? Drop your predictions in the comments.

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