Padres News: AJ Preller Reacts to the Joe Musgrove Update

The Friars ace may be shut down for the rest of the season...

The Padres received a huge blow to the team as it was announced that team ace Joe Musgrove is going to miss at least three weeks after tests revealed right shoulder inflammation. 

Joe Musgrove underwent an MRI that revealed inflammation in his right shoulder, Padres GM A.J. Preller announced.

Musgrove will be shut down at least three weeks. pic.twitter.com/5r42gjgYRo

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 4, 2023

After not selling Blake Snell or Josh Hader at the deadline, the Padres were locked in at fighting for a Wild Card spot and secured a spot in the postseason this year.

General Manager, A.J. Preller, talked to the media today announcing the injury news but also with votes of confidence in the additions and returning arms coming to Petco.

“Injuries are never easy,” Preller said. “But we do feel like with Rich, with Michael Wacha coming back, Nick Martinez having some flexibility, Pedro Avila stepping up and throwing well … we’ve got some depth. And we’re going to use it.”

(via AJ Cassavell, MLB.com)

The loss of Joe Musgrove means that trade deadline addition, Rich Hill, will be relied on to fill in the big shoes left by the 10-3 3.05 ERA veteran.

Rich Hill is 43 years old and has pitched a lot of baseball and a lot of big games. If there was a player to rely on to eat innings and keep the Padres in every game, it is him.

Holding a 4.76 ERA this season the aged veteran was 7-10 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and looks to get some much-needed run support with the best team since the start of July.

The biggest arm coming back for the Friars is Michael Wacha. Before going down with an injury the 32-year-old veteran was on another planet of pitching. In 15 starts Wacha owned an 8-2 record with an amazing 2.84 ERA. 

With the May pitcher of the month scheduled to make a  Triple-A rehab start, the righty could join the team next weekend in Arizona.

At 54-56, the Padres are four games back from the last Wild Card spot in the National League, and with pitchers like Hill and Wacha to fill Musgrove's shoes, the San Diego team will look to end the year strong and play in the postseason.