Joe Musgrove Primed for 2026 Season, Focused on Staying Healthy

The return of Joe Musgrove is quietly turning into one of the Padres’ most intriguing storylines this season. After missing all of 2024 because of Tommy John surgery, the veteran righty looks healthy, motivated, and is slowly settling into a routine that tries to balance performance with the reality of staying on the field for the long haul.

Joe Musgrove’s Road Back to the Mound

For Musgrove, this offseason wasn’t about reinventing himself. He just wanted to feel normal again. After his Tommy John surgery in October 2024, the San Diego native followed a careful rehab plan. That meant a short break from throwing, then a slow, steady ramp-up.

By December, Musgrove was throwing again. In recent bullpen sessions, he’s finally letting loose with his full arsenal from the mound. At 33, he says he feels strong physically and mentally heading into spring training, which kicks off in mid-February.

Building Strength and Consistency

The last few weeks have been especially encouraging for Musgrove. He’s recovering better between sessions, and his workouts now focus on getting his body ready for a full major league season.

“I’m starting to hit a stride,” Musgrove said, adding that the routine finally feels familiar again. For anyone coming back from elbow surgery, that’s a big deal.

Managing Expectations After Tommy John Surgery

Optimism’s running high, but Musgrove and the Padres know they need to be careful. Since 2022, he hasn’t thrown more than 99 2/3 innings in a season, mostly because of injuries that limited him in 2023 and 2024.

Still, when he did pitch, Musgrove was effective—he posted a 3.47 ERA and averaged nearly 5 2/3 innings per start over 36 outings during that stretch.

A Flexible Early-Season Plan

Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has said he believes Musgrove can handle a significant workload in 2025. That said, they’re planning to use early-season pitch limits, skip starts, or give him extra rest.

Musgrove’s totally on board. He’s made it clear: the goal is to stay healthy enough to be at his best when October rolls around.

• Potential pitch count restrictions early in the season
• Extra rest or skipped starts as needed
• Focus on postseason readiness over regular-season volume

A Veteran Leader On and Off the Field

Musgrove’s impact goes beyond the mound. All offseason, he stayed active in the San Diego community, building on his reputation as one of the Padres’ most respected leaders.

With outfielder Jackson Merrill by his side, Musgrove helped cut the ribbon on a refurbished Miracle League ballpark at San Dieguito County Park. The two, working with the Padres Foundation, chipped in $300,000 for the project.

Why the Miracle League Matters

This project means a lot to Musgrove. He’s supported Miracle League chapters in Pittsburgh and Houston, and he knows these fields can be life-changing for players with special needs—and their families.

“These fields mean everything to the kids who play on them,” Musgrove has said before. That feeling is echoed by families and longtime participants at the new San Diego facility.

Looking Ahead to Spring Training and Beyond

Spring training is almost here, and Musgrove’s focus stays simple. He just wants to pitch as normally as he can, but he knows he has to respect his recovery.

If that means throwing fewer innings early on, he’s fine with it. The Padres would love to see a healthy Joe Musgrove in October—he could turn a decent season into something way bigger.

Musgrove’s got his eye on 2025, too. It’s not just about coming back; he wants to lead by example, all over again.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Padres’ Joe Musgrove ready to go with eye toward healthy season