What happened: Joe Musgrove returned in postseason play and struck out the first batter he faced. The outing was his first since Oct. 2, 2024, a span of 727 days. He entered after making the wild-card roster ahead of the series.
Why it matters: Availability of a rested veteran arm gives the staff another option as the wild-card round advances. A clean first inning in a return outing provides an early read on command after the long layoff.
By the numbers: Last outing: Oct. 2, 2024. Gap between outings: 727 days.
What to watch: The wild-card series continues with bullpen and rotation usage to watch. Further outings will show how much workload Musgrove handles.