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Padres Rotation Faces Uncertainty with Musgrove's Likely IL Stint
Padres manager Craig Stammen says Joe Musgrove will 'most likely' begin the 2026 season on the injured list.
Mar. 16, 2026 at 6:48pm
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The San Diego Padres will be without starting pitcher Joe Musgrove to start the 2026 MLB season, as manager Craig Stammen said Musgrove will 'most likely' begin the year on the injured list. Musgrove is recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the Padres want to take a cautious approach to ensure he is healthy enough to contribute throughout the full season. This leaves the Padres with openings in their starting rotation behind Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Randy Vásquez, with several pitchers competing for those spots during spring training.
Why it matters
Musgrove's absence creates uncertainty in the Padres' starting rotation to begin the season, as the team must find viable replacements to fill the void. This could impact the Padres' early-season performance and playoff aspirations, as they look to build on a strong 2025 campaign.
The details
Padres manager Craig Stammen said Musgrove will 'most likely' start the season on the injured list, as the team wants to take a cautious approach with his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Stammen noted that it would be 'hard to ramp him up' in time for the start of the season, and the Padres want to ensure Musgrove is healthy enough to contribute throughout the full 2026 campaign. This leaves the Padres with openings in their rotation behind Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Randy Vásquez, with several pitchers including Walker Buehler, Germán Márquez, Marco Gonzales, Triston McKenzie, and JP Sears competing for those spots during spring training.
- Musgrove is recovering from Tommy John surgery and will 'most likely' begin the 2026 regular season on the injured list.
The players
Joe Musgrove
A starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres who is recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Craig Stammen
The manager of the San Diego Padres.
Nick Pivetta
A starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres.
Michael King
A starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres.
Randy Vásquez
A starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres.
What they’re saying
“It's getting to the point where he's taking enough time off that it would be hard to ramp him up to get him to be a viable starter that can throw five innings and 90 pitches. So, like I said, this was part of the plan, and we knew he was going to have to take some time off.”
— Craig Stammen, Padres Manager
“We knew we were going to have to get him ready for the entire season and not just Opening Day.”
— Craig Stammen, Padres Manager
What’s next
The Padres will use the remainder of spring training to evaluate their options for filling the openings in the starting rotation, with a decision likely coming just before Opening Day.
The takeaway
Musgrove's injury setback highlights the importance of depth in a starting rotation, as the Padres must now find reliable replacements to begin the season. This challenge could test the team's pitching resources and impact their early-season performance as they aim to build on their 2025 success.
