Padres All-Star Gets Injection in Elbow, Might Need Surgery

J.P. Hoornstra | Jun 6, 2024

Mar 29, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (44) is visited by pitching coach Ruben Niebla (57) during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports / Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports

The bad news keeps on coming for San Diego Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove.

The former All-Star, whose 2024 season has been marred by injuries and ineffectiveness, received PRP and cortisone injections in his ailing right elbow, after an MRI revealed a bone spur and bone bruise. According to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, who relayed the news via his Twitter/X account Thursday, the next step for Musgrove could be surgery:

An MRI revealed a bone spur and bone bruise in Joe Musgrove's elbow. He got a PRP and cortisone injection he hopes will help him resume throwing in about two weeks. Arthroscopic surgery is possible if not enough healing takes place, "but we're not there yet," Musgrove said.

— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) June 6, 2024

Musgrove, an All-Star in 2022, was 3-4 with a 5.66 ERA in 10 starts before he landed on the injured list with what the team called "right elbow inflammation."

Now that the source of the inflammation is more clear, Musgrove's outlook for the remainder of the 2024 season is not.

Musgrove said he has "done enough studying to know that the removal of spurs isn't necessarily always the best healer. That could lead to other issues or UCL issues." Yu Darvish was shut down in September because of his own bone spur and opted for rest instead of surgery.

— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) June 6, 2024

Manager Mike Shildt reiterated Thursday the same prognosis he offered Wednesday: "I think it's going to be a couple weeks before he picks up a baseball, and we're going to go from there."

Mike Shildt shared the latest updates on Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish and Manny Machado: pic.twitter.com/eikWsCkDU1

— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) June 6, 2024

The Padres have turned to youth in the absence of their 31-year-old right-hander. Adam Mazur debuted Wednesday against the Angels, and "will get another opportunity at some point." Another rookie, Randy Vasquez, is starting Thursday in San Diego against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Mazur completed six innings and held the Angels to one run, while Vasquez has a 5.74 ERA through his first six starts. The Padres also await the return of veteran Yu Darvish, who's on the injured list with a left groin strain.

Overall, San Diego starters have a 4.00 ERA this season, 14th in MLB.