Padres News: Joe Musgrove Slowly Progressing from Shoulder Injury

A return this year isn't out of the question.

Out with a nagging injury since last month, Padres' starter Joe Musgrove will be making his return to the mound in short order with hopes of returning this year. 

Beginning to throw from a mound starting on Friday, Friars manager Bob Melvin stated that the process for his righty wouldn't be one the team would rush, no matter how much they'd like to for their playoff push. 

“It’s not going to be an accelerated path forward,” Melvin said. “It’s going to be several of those before he would even consider getting on a mound, so we’re still a ways away.”

via Jeff Sanders, San Diego Tribune

Musgrove was scratched from a start earlier this month right after the trade deadline with a shoulder issue that's simply persisted up to this point in time. 

Though the pitcher has been eager to return to San Diego's rotation, the team has already stated that they don't want to make the issue worse in the name of his long-term health. 

In Musgrove's absence, the team welcomed back Michael Wacha back into their rotation, but the losses continue to pile up. 

Whether the losses are to their depth through various injuries or within the standings, the Friars are suffering as of late with no end in sight. 

Even if Melvin won't look at the standings, the numbers don't lie and neither have Padres fans lately in their refusal to show up to support a losing team. 

A season once so promising with one of the most talented cores in all of baseball are walking quite the dangerous tightrope to slipping out of the playoff hunt entirely. 

Musgrove's inclusion back into a Padres rotation could be the difference for a roster that sorely needs his services for a much needed morale boost to a team that seems down and out