Padres’ Joe Musgrove Makes Major Announcement

Maren Angus-Coombs | 19 Hours Ago

Sep 2, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (44) reacts after striking out Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (not pictured) during the fourth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images / Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Congratulations are in order for San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove.

Musgrove was tagged in an Instagram post on Saturday that pictured him proposing to longtime girlfriend Arica Christiansen.

The newly engaged couple was photographed on a boat with Musgrove down on one knee holding the ring in his right hand. Christansen was bent over with her hands on his cheeks.

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A post shared by ARICA ROSE CHRISTENSEN (@arica_rosee)

Several of Musgrove's teammates commented with congrulatory messages.

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"LFGGGG," rookie Jackson Merrill reacted.

"Let's goooo!! Congrats," Padres pitcher Michael King commented.

"Omg!! So happy for you guys," former Padres ace Blake Snell's wife Haeley reacted.

"Omg!! Big congrats yay!! So happy for you guys," Merrill's girlfriend Sammie Quinn commented.

The Padres are currently searching for someone to replace Musgrove in the starting rotation for the 2025 season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. He is signed through 2027.

Musgrove dealt with multiple trips to the injured list this season due to issues with his right elbow. When healthy, he made 19 starts, posting a 3.88 ERA (106 ERA+) and a 4.39 strikeout-to-walk ratio. According to Baseball Reference, his performance contributed an estimated 1.7 Wins Above Replacement.

The injury occurred during the Padres Wild Card Round Series win over the Atlanta Braves on Oct. 2. Musgrove exited the game in the fourth inning shaking his pitching arm.

The initial UCL test came back clean but further testing revealed more damage.

Musgrove revealed after that game his elbow had been feeling different all week but he pushed through.

“I had a tough week getting into this start, but I felt pretty good at the start of the game,” Musgrove said. “And then, I mean, from pitch one, it was tight, but felt like I’d be able to get through the outing and maybe get better as we went or if it stayed where it was we’d be all right.”

Catcher Kyle HIgashioka noticed a significant drop in velocity and immediately made his way to the mound calling to the dugout for reinforcements.

“I was barely getting the ball to plate,” Musgrove said. “My velo had dropped. Stuff just didn’t look right. Didn’t feel right to me, but when you’re out there you never want to show anything and I was one out away from getting out of the inning. I was hoping to get out of the inning and address it between innings.

“I just couldn’t get through it.”

Musgrove will miss the entire 2025 season as he recovers from the surgery. But at least he has some good news to look forward to as he rehabs.

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