After Tommy John surgery, can Joe Musgrove reclaim his dominant form and anchor the Padres' formidable rotation? His spring performance is key.
The San Diego Padres kicked off spring training with some new additions on the pitching front, with Griffin Canning and German Marquez signing one-year deals.
The Padres brought back Michael King on a three-year, $75 million deal, which was a bit of a surprise since other reports mentioned several American League teams as finalists.
Yu Darvish is out for the 2026 season and retirement has been discussed. But, the good news is that Joe Musgrove is back after missing the 2025 season following Tommy John surgery.
Manager Craig Stammen recently mentioned that Musgrove won't have an innings restriction, which is excellent news for San Diego.
With spring training underway, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com named 18 most important Padres to watch, and Musgrove was No. 1 on the list.
Musgrove is undoubtedly an important part of the clubhouse and roster. Since coming over in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates ahead of the 2021 season, Musgrove has been excellent.
Here are Musgrove's numbers by season in San Diego:
- 2021: 11-9 record, 3.18 ERA, 31 starts
- 2022: 10-7 record, 2.93 ERA, 30 starts
- 2023: 10-3 record, 3.05 ERA, 17 starts
- 2024: 6-5 record, 3.88 ERA, 19 starts
Plus, Musgrove will always be a part of Padres history as he became the first player in franchise history to throw a no-hitter, and it took place against the Texas Rangers in 2021.
Cassavell wonders how Musgrove will respond from Tonny John surgery, especially at the age of 33. But, he pitched well in a simulated outing in Arizona.
If Musgrove Returns to Form, Padres Rotation Is Tough
Here's one important thing Casavell wrote: "If Musgrove is back to the dominant pre-surgery version of himself, the top of the Padres’ rotation looks formidable."
That is true. King coming back is big, and Nick Pivetta surviving trade rumors was also a bonus for San Diego. Mix that with Randy Vasquez coming off a strong 2025 season, and Musgrove potentially returning to his form, and San Diego's rotation is going to be a tough one to deal with this season.
ESPN also wondered why San Diego didn't go out and acquire a front-line starter. However, bringing back King was a big move, and if Musgrove returns to form, he is a front-line starting pitcher.
And, not to mention that former Padres pitcher Dylan Cease signed a whopping seven-year, $210 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, so it makes sense why San Diego didn't spend that type of money to bring in a top-of-the-rotation starter.
All eyes will be on Musgrove this season.