### Padres' Joe Musgrove to Undergo Tommy John Surgery, Ending Season

In a major setback for the San Diego Padres, starting pitcher Joe Musgrove will require Tommy John surgery, as confirmed by Padres General Manager A.J. Preller on Friday. The surgery, expected to sideline Musgrove for about 12 to 18 months, means he will miss the National League Division Series and possibly all of next season.

Musgrove had made significant strides after returning from an earlier injury, posting an impressive 2.15 ERA in the latter half of the season with strong walk and strikeout rates. However, concerns arose during Game 2 of the NLDS when Musgrove threw two unusually slow curveballs and was pulled from the game in the fourth inning after allowing one run and one hit while recording four strikeouts. An MRI scan subsequently revealed damage to his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), necessitating the surgical procedure.

"I'm devastated about not being able to finish what we started," Musgrove expressed, coming to terms with the end of his season. "But I'm not all that concerned about the work or the rehab, the time off. I know how to work hard. It's just a matter of coming to grips with that this is it for me."

The Padres will now rely on their remaining pitchers, including Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish, and Michael King, to carry the team through the postseason. Although Musgrove's absence is a significant blow, the Padres still maintain a competitive edge compared to other teams, such as the Dodgers, who have also been hit hard by injuries this season.

To fill the void left by Musgrove, veteran Martín Pérez will step into a more prominent role. Pitching coach Ruben Niebla has already begun implementing changes to Pérez's approach, emphasizing the curveball, which has helped improve his performance since joining from the Pirates. Despite some inconsistencies, Pérez will be crucial for the Padres' rotation.

"Obviously, a blow to our team on the field," Preller remarked. "But it's also his presence every single day. He's totally invested in the Padres organization. You see the work he's put in with our medical team over the last few months just to get to a position where, you know, he pitched us into the playoffs, honestly. So really, a testament to him and what he's all about."

The Padres will need to leverage their bullpen, which boasts depth with pitchers like Adrian Morejon and Bryan Hoeing, to navigate the challenge ahead. While Musgrove's recovery will be a long road, the team's depth provides some hope as they aim to make a deep postseason run.