Padres News: Joe Musgrove Tweaked Something in Tuesday’s Dominant Start

Musgrove won his third-straight start of the season Tuesday.

Starting pitcher Joe Musgrove is playing at the top of his game lately. Through 15 starts, the 30-year-old holds a 3.16 ERA and a WHIP of 1.14.

In Tuesday's 9-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, Musgrove continued to prove his reliability, pitching 6 innings with 7 strikeouts, 5 hits, and an earned run.

While he was able to pitch through the pain, Musgrove told reporters that he felt a "tweak" in his left adductor — a thigh muscle — and wore a strap around his left thigh for much of the game.

"It was just like a little overstretch or tweak or something," Musgrove said. "But we monitored it pretty good. I don't think it's an issue at all. I'm not really thinking much about it now. But at the time, we were just kind of doing what we could do keep it right. I felt good. ... I don't think it's going to limit anything. I plan on doing everything normal tomorrow. Just kind of in the moment, a little tightness."

(Via 

The San Diego Union-Tribune

)

Despite the discomfort, Musgrove threw a season-high 109 pitches, and convinced manager Bob Melvin and pitching coach Ruben Niebla to let him pitch the sixth inning.

"I think he's just a tough guy," manager Bob Melvin said. "And he knows he needs to be there for his team. ... You would expect that out of a guy like him. I mean, he wants to be there for his team."

(Via

The San Diego Union-Tribune

)

Musgrove's tough performance came at a good time. The Padres are still recovering from a brutal three-game skid against the Philadelphia Phillies and were in desperate need of a win. With the Aug. 1 trade deadline rapidly approaching, every win helps build the case for the Padres to buy and bolster their chances at a playoff push.

As of Wednesday, San Diego sits 5 games below .500 and 7.5 games back in the NL Wild Card race. If they want to be buyers at the deadline, they must start winning consistently.