Padres' Catcher Was Blown Away By Joe Musgrove's Return From IL

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 14, 2024

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Musgrove walked off the field at Petco Park to a standing ovation Monday. As he walked back to the dugout, he looked toward the stands tapped his heart and waved.

The moment for Musgrove was more than two months in the making, and he deserved it after pitching 4.1 scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"It's just so good to have him back," catcher Kyle Higashioka said after the game. “He’s definitely one of the guys who’s the heart and soul of this team. It feels right having him back on this mound again and he was sharp as ever. Maybe even sharper than he was at the beginning of the season. Everything was working, it was good.”

A standing ovation for Joe Musgrove behind the Padres dugout after he throws 4.1 scoreless innings in his return to the mound. pic.twitter.com/ephqEGAy1s

— Sammy Levitt (@SammyLev) August 13, 2024

Musgrove didn't get a decision but he pitched well enough to earn a win. The victory marked the Padres’ 17th in their past 20 games.

The best news revolved around Musgrove's return.

“I think he was crisper than we all could have imagined with all the time he missed,” Bogaerts said. “… It’s really nice.”

Musgrove walked a batter with two outs in the first, allowed a one-out single in the second and hit a batter with one out in the third.

“It just felt good, man,” Musgrove said afterward. “I mean, this is where I feel the best. Obviously, with the way we’re playing, I want to be part of that. I want to contribute. So, yeah, it felt incredible to be back out there.”

Kyle Higashioka on Joe Musgrove:

“He’s definitely one of the guys who’s the heart and soul of this team….it feels right having him back on this mound again. He was sharp as ever…maybe even sharper than he was at the beginning of the season.”

pic.twitter.com/WFSfAObPzO

— Sammy Levitt (@SammyLev) August 13, 2024

It had been 77 days since Musgrove’s last start and at that time, Musgrove was struggling to find the form that made him one of the best starting pitchers in the league back in 2021 and 2022. He entered Monday having made just 10 starts this season and with a 5.66 ERA.

“He was fantastic,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “... Everything looked good. I loved his tempo. Typical Joe, he was attacking guys. He made quality pitches. Good for him, and good for us to have Joe back.”

Musgrove missed more than 10 weeks because of inflammation and triceps tendinitis caused by a bone spur in his pitching elbow. He has had to alter his delivery to ease the burden on his elbow.

If Musgrove can return to form, it will be a huge boost for the Padres, who are holding on to an NL Wild Card spot tightly. They also begin a run of 18 games in 18 days on Friday.

“The guys have been playing with a lot of emotion and intent, but when you get Joe Musgrove back, it takes it to another level,” Shildt said. “You get your cornerstone of the club back, a guy that means a lot to this club in a lot of different areas. And he was tremendous tonight.”