Pitchers and catchers report to spring training this week as the conclusion of the Super Bowl signals the beginning of baseball season! Among the Padres players set to arrive at the training complex in Peoria, Arizona, is starting pitcher Joe Musgrove.

The 2022 All-Star will return this season after missing all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Musgrove was forced to undergo the procedure following two injury-plagued seasons in 2023 and 2024, both of which saw him make fewer than 20 starts. That stretch of poor availability ultimately ended with a torn ulnar collateral ligament that sidelined him for all of last season.

The good news is that, 494 days after leaving a wild-card start against the Braves, Musgrove is back. It’s worth noting that the day count will climb well above 500 by the time he actually takes the mound in spring training.

The former ace made two notable announcements at FanFest last week, both of which provided meaningful updates on his status entering 2026. First, Musgrove revealed that he would have been ready to pitch in the postseason had the Padres advanced past the wild-card series against the Cubs last October.

Joe Musgrove, Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Mason Miller at the stand pic.twitter.com/iCn3XDpqRf

— Gregory Spicer (@Greg_Spicer_) January 31, 2026

Second, he said he devoted his entire offseason to recovery and did not experience any setbacks. Given that he could have returned months ago during the postseason and has remained issue-free throughout the winter, Musgrove is ready to go as pitchers and catchers report this week.

The key phrase there is “this week.” While Musgrove worked with the Padres late last season in preparation for potential October baseball, his offseason recovery was largely individual. The team will now reassess his health in camp and construct a new plan for 2026.

Musgrove stated at FanFest that he feels 100%, but that doesn’t mean he’ll arrive in Peoria ramping up for a 200-inning workload. He and pitching coach Ruben Niebla will work together on a plan that accommodates his return from Tommy John surgery.

It’s easy to forget how long it has been since Musgrove was fully healthy because of how high the expectations are. After the loss of Dylan Cease in free agency, the Padres are hoping Musgrove can step into a top-of-the-rotation role. With Michael King carrying injury concerns and Randy Vasquez and J.P. Sears proving unreliable last season, Musgrove is being viewed as something of a savior for the rotation.

At the same time, Musgrove isn’t just coming back from Tommy John surgery. He hasn’t been healthy since 2022, failing to reach 20 starts or 100 innings in both 2023 and 2024. Recovering from two lost seasons and surgery presents a more difficult challenge than rehabbing from the surgery alone.

Musgrove has acknowledged those expectations, reiterating that he’s at full strength while also emphasizing the importance of conserving energy for a potential postseason run. He has said he expects to skip starts and take extra rest days throughout the season.

With only five starters currently on the roster, it will be worth monitoring whether A.J. Preller looks to add pitching depth to address the health and performance questions surrounding the staff. If not, competition among pitchers on non-guaranteed contracts will become the biggest storyline in camp.

While Musgrove won’t be able to answer all of those questions on his own, he has made one thing clear: he’s ready for 2026. With baseball season officially beginning this week, expect the clubhouse leader to make his presence felt in the first weeks. The bar is high but he won’t shy away from it.