Following Dramatic Return, Padres Must Find Right Role For Joe Musgrove In NL Division Series

The scene felt like it was out of a movie.

Fans had been chanting for the hometown guy in the previous innings. There was a buzz that went through at least a portion of Petco Park when he took off his hoodie and began to get loose. When the bullpen door opened and "Vampire" from San Diego's own Tribal Seeds, the 47,084 Friar Faithful rose as one to welcome Joe Musgrove back.

For the first time in almost exactly two years from the time he got hurt, the right-hander from Grossmont High School in La Mesa, the El Cajon native who authored the historic first no-hitter in San Diego Padres history, was jogging to the Petco Park mound to throw a pitch. It wasn't an ordinary regular-season game. It was Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series vs. the Chicago Cubs. The situation was a soft landing for the 33-year-old. The Padres had an 8-0 lead and it was the ninth inning.

It wasn't the best of innings for Musgrove, but it was good enough in this scenario. There was a strikeout, there were two hits, there was a walk, there was a visit from pitching coach Ruben Niebla. Even Mason Miller was starting to stir in the Padres' bullpen if things started to spiral. This was a playoff game, after all.

But as Musgrove had done during his longer-than-expected rehab that encountered two significant setbacks, he found a way through. He got a popout to second base, then a called strike three to end the game.

It was a very cool scene.

But that was a showcase experience. Manager Craig Stammen had a scenario in mind in which to use Musgrove, a key member of the starting rotation in previous seasons. But Tommy John surgery changed that. His recovery from his last rehab start didn't go well, so the Padres decided to try Musgrove in shorter stints to see if he would be effective as a reliever. That did go well, which led to Tuesday's appearance.

Now, the Padres have swept the Cubs and another team is waiting. That would be the Milwaukee Brewers, who will host the Padres in Game 1 of the best-of-five NL Division Series on Saturday (5:30 p.m., FS1).

The return has happened and Musgrove now must fit a role in the bullpen if the Padres are to advance to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 2022. There might be a soft landing spot for another appearance, but Musgrove could also find himself in a key situation.

With the four high-leverage arms the Padres have in Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Bradgley Rodriguez and Jason Adam, Musgrove won't sniff action in a close game probably from the sixth inning on. Extra innings is a different case. Musgrove is ideal to give a couple innings if a game goes beyond the ninth. But in regulation, Musgrove is more likely to get a clean inning after a starting pitcher is removed for one reason or another. The situation—and how Musgrove is throwing—will dictate how long he goes. Based on his rehab setback in August when it appeared he was ready to rejoin the rotation, Musgrove won't go beyond two innings. He will fill a role similar to Randy Vasquez, another right-handed starter shifted to the bullpen.

The trust in Musgrove will grow as he performs. It is a five-game series, so Musgrove might only have two opportunities, three at the very most. Early-game scenarios will be the best situations for Musgrove.

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