Musgrove returns to mound after 727-day layoff

Padres opened wild-card round with Game 1 shutout

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 41m1 min read

The reaction to Joe Musgrove making his first appearance in two years … https://t.co/xFroNJITTT Via @Alden_Gonzalez on X

What happened: Joe Musgrove entered the wild-card opener, his first outing since Oct. 2, 2024 against Atlanta. He struck out the first batter faced to a standing ovation.

Why it matters: The appearance gives the Padres another rested arm for the short series. An opening shutout puts the winner a win from the division series.

By the numbers: 727 days between outings; last appearance Oct. 2, 2024; 1 strikeout on first batter in return; Game 1 shutout to open postseason.

What to watch: Watch how the Padres deploy him the rest of the wild-card round.

Sources

@Alden_Gonzalez 2026-09-30T17:08:25.122469+00:00

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