### Joe Musgrove to Undergo Tommy John Surgery, Out Until 2026

Joe Musgrove, the standout pitcher for the San Diego Padres, will undergo Tommy John surgery after experiencing elbow tightness that cut his performance short. This procedure means Musgrove will likely not return to the mound until the 2026 season. Padres President of Baseball Operations, A.J. Preller, released the medical update following manager Mike Shildt’s announcement that Musgrove would not pitch in the National League Division Series against the Dodgers.

"Replacing Joe Musgrove is a tall order," Shildt remarked. "The good news is we have people that we trust, and we have a deep pitching group as we know. But Joe's Joe. He's a presence, physical presence. He's pitched outstanding for us since he's come back, was throwing the ball really well in Game 2 the other day. I can't say we're not going to be able to replace Joe. He's a special individual, but I can tell you we'll be just fine and compete."

Musgrove had to leave the mound in the fourth inning during Wednesday's game due to the elbow issue. An MRI was anticipated for Thursday, but the results have not yet been disclosed to the public. His performance in the postseason has been notable, maintaining a 2.82 ERA over four starts for the Padres. In their wild-card-clinching win against the Atlanta Braves, Musgrove allowed only one run in 3⅔ innings.

Two previous stints on the injured list had already plagued Musgrove this season, including issues with bone spurs. He recently modified his pitching delivery to reduce the stress on his elbow and had achieved a 2.15 ERA in nine starts since his return on August 12. Despite these efforts, Musgrove has admitted to enduring discomfort leading up to his exit from the game.

"I've been dealing with a little bit of tightness for the last couple weeks and just felt like I was at the point where my stuff wasn't any good," Musgrove conceded. "I was trying my best to get through it as best I could, but I was at the point where I either pushed through it and risk something worse or get out of there and let our bullpen do their job."

With Musgrove sidelined, the Padres face a tough challenge ahead but remain optimistic about their depth and talent pool as they continue their playoff journey.