Before NLDS, Padres say Joe Musgrove needs Tommy John

LOS ANGELES – San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove suffered an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament in his start Wednesday and will soon undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his season and nearly ruling him out for all of 2025.

Musgrove exited in the fourth inning of his start in Game 2 of the Padres’ wild-card series after throwing two mid-70 mph curveballs against Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson. An initial MRI showed no further damage to his UCL, but a follow-up scan on Thursday after the inflammation had subsided showed enough of a tear to warrant surgery.

“I’m devastated that I didn’t finish what we originally started,” Musgrove said Friday before the rest of his team completed a practice at Dodger Stadium ahead of the National League Division Series. “I’m not too worried about work, rehab or free time. I know how to work hard. It’s just a matter of coming to terms with the fact that it’s the right thing for me.”

Musgrove’s absence for the remainder of October likely means Martin Perez, who posted a 3.46 ERA in 10 starts since being acquired before the trade deadline, will enter the Padres’ postseason rotation.

The Padres will start Dylan Cease in Game 1 on Saturday, Yu Darvish in Game 2 on Sunday and Michael King when the series moves to San Diego for Game 3 on Tuesday. Perez seems like the logical choice to start a possible Game 4.

“We definitely aren’t here without Joe Musgrove,” Padres general manager AJ Preller said. “He’s obviously very disappointed; everyone in this room feels sorry for him. A lot of people stepped up this year. And it’s going to take other people on this team to step up now because that’s definitely a big blow.”

Musgrove was placed on the injured list twice earlier this season due to bone spur-related issues. In May he was missing for around three weeks, made the starting line-up twice and had to sit out again. Musgrove’s second IL stint was followed by a more targeted ramp-up, an injection of platelet-rich plasma to promote healing and a slight delivery adjustment to take some pressure off his right elbow. But MRIs over the summer also showed some damage to his UCL and that it was “kind of a matter of time” before a tear could occur, Musgrove said.

Musgrove added: “The signs of injury were obvious to me.”

The 31-year-old Musgrove had one of the best runs of his career after returning in mid-August, posting a 2.15 ERA with 57 strikeouts and eight walks in 50⅓ innings in his final nine regular-season starts. Musgrove went into October believing he could hold out for at least another month. On Wednesday, he took the mound at Petco Park feeling normal until he started feeling tightness in his right elbow after his third inning. He came back at the end of the quarter not knowing what to expect.

“I was just trying to get it over the plate and get out of the inning,” Musgrove said. “I didn’t necessarily know it was a UCL injury, but it was something I hadn’t felt before and I think it was the first time in my career that I went down a hill.”

Musgrove, who is under contract through 2027, said he has not yet scheduled a surgical date or decided which doctor will perform it, but he hopes to be able to perform the surgery “sooner rather than later.”

He also plans to be with his teammates no matter how long their run lasts.

“It’s unfortunate that he won’t be there in terms of performance,” said Cease. “But he’s a big part of our clubhouse and a leader. He will also accompany us in other ways.”