Padres reinstate Joe Musgrove from 15-day IL

The Padres reinstated right-hander Joe Musgrove from the 15-day injured list, as Musgrove is slated to make his season debut in a start against the Diamondbacks Saturday. In the corresponding move, San Diego optioned righty Reiss Knehr to Triple-A.

Musgrove fractured the big toe on his left foot after an accident in the weight room in late February, and then suffered a minor shoulder injury during a rehab start that further delayed his return. However, Musgrove only ended up missing roughly an extra week, and he now looks ready to go in his customary spot atop San Diego’s rotation.

Naturally, getting Musgrove back only further strengthens a Padres team that also got Fernando Tatis Jr. back the lineup after his PED suspension expired earlier this week. Between these absences and several other injuries, it perhaps isn’t surprising that the Padres have gotten off a lackluster start, with only a 10-12 record heading into Saturday’s action.

Musgrove will rejoin the rotation just as the Padres are about to enter a relatively light portion of their schedule, as from April 24 to May 29, the Padres have seven off-days. As a result, San Diego will move to a five-man rotation of Musgrove, Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, Seth Lugo, and Michael Wacha, with Nick Martinez joining Ryan Weathers as bullpen reinforcement. 

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that the Padres’ plan is to try and keep Martinez somewhat stretched out in long relief roles, so make it easier for Martinez to step back into the rotation in the event of an injury or a rest day for one of the starters (possibly Lugo, who is still being re-acclimated to starting work after pitching as a reliever for the last few years). Weathers could also be a multi-inning weapon out of the pen.

It’s probably unlikely that the projected starting five will last the rest of the season without another IL stint, so Martinez or Weathers are surely going to get more starts before 2023 is over. 

At least in the short term, however, their usage in the bullpen will greatly help a relief corps that has been shorthanded by injuries.