Padres premier starter Joe Musgrove threw the first no-hitter in club history back in 2001, breaking a drought of 8,205 games. But right now, there isn’t a timetable for when he can pitch again, general manager A.J. Preller said, speculating the end of May at the earliest.
Musgrove had Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on Oct. 11, 2024, just as the Padres were involved in what turned out to be a losing effort against the Dodgers in another National League Division Series.
That was almost 18 months ago, the usual far end of the surgery’s 12-18 month recovery timeline. But when he took the mound in spring training as part of his progression back, he felt pain and discomfort in the repaired elbow and the medical staff shut him down. He hasn’t thrown off a mound since March 4.
Musgrove told the Times of San Diego in an exclusive clubhouse interview during the club’s season-opening homestand at Petco Park that he’s starting all over again.
“I’m just in the beginning stages of picking up a throwing program,” he said. “I’m pretty basic right now. I’m not throwing off the mound yet.”
That’s bad news for the Padres by any stretch of the imagination. Musgrove missed the entire 2025 season and the Padres struggled to replace him. It’s no better now. Their top two starters, Nick Pivetta and Michael King, have pitched pretty well to open the season. Randy Vazquez, in the No. 3 slot, has continued to impress. But the rotation falls off the cliff after that. Walker Buehler and German Marquez were awful in their first starts.
Musgrove is in the fourth year of a $100 million contract that will pay him $20 million a year through 2027, his age 34 season. He’s 33 now. It’s not a process anyone can rush, and no one wants the injury to recur, leading to a second Tommy John surgery, which replaces the ulnar ligament in the elbow that’s as thin and precarious as a rubber band.
“I’m getting back into throwing after so much time down,” Musgrove said. “During the spring I wasn’t feeling my best. I was capable of going out throwing, but just not recovering great. I pushed myself trying to see if I could break through. Maybe it’s part of the process of building back up and breaking down the scar tissue or what not.
“It really didn’t turn the corner for me. So, I figured I’d address it now before we get into the heat of the season and have to miss a lot of time.”
To be sure, recovery from this type of surgery can be based on the makeup of the pitcher both physically and mentally.
“I’m sure that’s something that’s individual,” Musgrove said. “Some guys probably feel great the first year back.”
For the Yankees, Gerrit Cole was barely 12 months out from his Tommy John surgery before taking the mound twice in game action at the conclusion of spring training. He pitched well, felt no pain and tracked his recovery timeline without incident.
“Right now, it’s looking at a return from mid-May to June 1,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after Cole threw two innings against the Cubs in Mesa on March 24. “We’ll just see how the next several weeks unfold and when we will begin that true build-up.”
Even though Cole seemed way ahead of the game, there was no rush. His throwing schedule included some outings at the Yankees’ Tampa complex, and a slate of minor-league rehab starts before his debut in the Major Leagues.
That timetable sounded good to Cole.
“Oh, yeah sure,” he said. “Fourteen to 18 months, write it down. It never fails. Just reminding everybody.”
Musgrove would like to be on that type of progression, but right now it isn’t happening.
“Yeah, I mean I’ve tolerated pain for a long time, but I’m at the point where I’m coming off a major surgery and I’m on the back half of my career, so I’m not going to push things right now and cause a setback that could put me out for another year,” he said.
“And I look at the amount of time I missed. I’m not OK with missing time, but when you’re out 17, 18 months, what’s another month to make sure I’m 100% and can push through the rest of the season without needing any more breaks or down time?”
Musgrove is a local kid. He grew up in El Cajon and attended Grossmont High School. Preller obtained him from the Pirates in a three-way trade that included the Mets prior to the start of the 2021 season costing the Padres a group of minor leaguers and pitcher Joey Lucchesi, who wound up in New York.
He became a local folk hero of sorts on April 9, 2021 – early in his Padres stay – when he twirled the club’s first no-hitter against the Rangers in a 3-0 win at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. The now departed Dylan Cease threw the club’s second no-hitter against Washington at Nationals Park on July 25, 2024.
There were decades when the Padres failed to pitch a no-hitter, hit for the cycle or win a World Series. Now, only the World Series is still pending. No doubt they have a better chance of doing it with a healthy Musgrove.
“I’m hoping if I start a little bit late I’ll be able to run this all the way through the playoffs,” Musgrove said. “There’s always a thought in the back of your mind how your arm feels as you release certain pitches. That’s a big part of it.”
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