Padres’ Joe Musgrove plays catch for first time since surgery, continues to target October

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WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It was only 25 throws at relatively low intensity, but Monday will go down as a good day for Joe Musgrove.

Musgrove, the San Diego Padres’ veteran right-hander, played catch for the first time since he underwent Tommy John surgery almost six months ago. When he later walked off the field at Sutter Health Park, he wore a smile.

In a relatively ideal world, Musgrove might be just halfway through his rehab. Still, he had reached a significant milestone with enough ease that he intends to continue his pursuit of an ambitious goal. Musgrove, who had his surgery in October, is targeting a return to big-league action sometime this October.

“That’s been my goal from the get-go, and I still feel like it’s somewhat within reach,” Musgrove said before the Padres’ series opener against the Athletics. “I think the doctors are going to tell me no just because they prefer not to have anybody back in a game (in) anything shorter than a year. A year puts me in the middle of October, right in that playoff mix. I think starting is out of the question. I think an opener-type role, maybe. But I think most realistically, it would be a chance to come out of the bullpen, you know, somewhat late in the postseason.

“Whether I’m in the games or not, it’s still part of my plan is to get healthy and throw in games by the end of the season so I can go in and have a normal offseason and build up properly, try to be as ready as I can for ’26.”

Musgrove, a 2022 All-Star for his hometown team, pitched around extended absences in 2023 and 2024 while knowing he might eventually require surgery for a damaged ulnar collateral ligament. He still managed to help hoist the Padres into last year’s postseason, supplying a 2.15 ERA in nine summer starts before his elbow finally gave out in Game 2 of San Diego’s National League Wild Card Series.

He underwent Tommy John surgery Oct. 11, the same day the Padres were eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. Musgrove said Sunday that his surgeon, Dr. Keith Meister, originally estimated he could begin playing catch in six months.

Joe Musgrove’s elbow finally gave out in Game 2 of San Diego’s National League Wild Card Series in October. (Denis Poroy / Imagn Images)

Monday, 178 days after the operation, Musgrove did. He started with 5-foot throws to fellow Padres starter Nick Pivetta and stretched out to about 60 feet. The plan is to continue this 25-throw routine three days a week for at least the next week. It has been a long road to this point, but it also hasn’t.

“The workload is definitely what I thought it would be,” Musgrove, 32, said. “I expected a lot of work and long days. But I can’t say it’s been what I expected in terms of, like, difficulty. The steps have all come to me pretty easy. … I was kind of checking every box and being very diligent about it. So, I do feel like it’s been a relatively simple comeback. I wouldn’t say easy, but it’s been pretty simple — like, not many hiccups or not many setbacks.”

For someone on the 60-day injured list, Musgrove has been an unusually engaged teammate. He said before spring training he planned to be with the Padres for almost every game this season, and he so far has been at every one. A clubhouse leader who signed a five-year, $100 million extension in 2022, Musgrove has remained an active participant in pitchers’ meetings and other team gatherings.

“It means a lot to me. It means a lot to our group,” Mike Shildt said. “Joe could’ve easily and rightfully been in San Diego right now or gone over to (the Padres’ complex in Arizona). And he’s been on the (first) road trip. He’s preparing for every series like he’s pitching in that series. So, his leadership is tremendous, and occasionally he uses his voice. He’s a really, really special guy.”

Part of that effort, Musgrove indicated, has been to preserve his own sanity.

“I just feel like baseball … is kind of how you deal with a lot of life problems,” Musgrove said. “You come (to the field) and you can feel good about yourself having a good work day or executing pitches in the game and having a successful day. Like, a lot of that stuff increases your overall perspective on life and your attitude and stuff. Without that outlet, it’s been difficult to try and find that in other ways.

“But putting more effort into being a good teammate and providing whatever kind of assistance I can has kind of been my main focus. So, I found it in a different way, in a sense.”

Monday, he began to rediscover his primary outlet.

“It’s a big day, man. It’s a big milestone,” Shildt said. “He’s worked really hard. And that’s a good thing for Joe. He’s got a smile on his face.”

(Top photo of Joe Musgrove leaving the game in October: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)

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