Jul 7, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres beginning pitcher Joe Musgrove (44) seems on through the ninth inning in opposition to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Necessary Credit score: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports activities The San Diego Padres’ beginning rotation is about to get a probably key piece again Monday night time for the primary recreation of a three-game sequence with the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
Joe Musgrove (3-4, 5.66 ERA), who’s been out since Could 26 as a result of proper elbow irritation, is scheduled to take the mound. Whereas he is most likely going to be restricted to 60 pitches after throwing 43 for Single-A Lake Elsinore on Aug. 4 in Fresno, Musgrove, a right-hander, is optimistic he is able to make an affect for San Diego down the stretch.
“Quite a lot of strikes, commanded nearly all the pieces, (velocity) is in a extremely great place,” he stated of his rehab begin within the minors. “Physique feels good popping out of it.”
It was Musgrove’s second injured listing stint of the season, each with the identical difficulty. This time, he not solely took his time recovering but additionally received a PRP injection along with cortisone. Musgrove stated his elbow hasn’t bothered him since he began throwing once more.
Musgrove’s elbow was feeling adequate for him to unleash a 96 mph fastball in Fresno, the toughest pitch he is tossed all 12 months.
“Any time you get Joe again, it is useful,” Padres supervisor Mike Shildt stated. “The extra wholesome arms you’ve got right now of 12 months can be useful.”
Musgrove is 1-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 5 profession begins in opposition to Pittsburgh, which traded him to San Diego earlier than the 2021 season. He hopes to even that file for one of many hottest groups within the recreation.
Even with Sunday’s 7-6 loss in Miami, the Padres have received 16 of their previous 19 video games and are tied with Arizona for the highest wild-card spot within the Nationwide League, 4 video games away from the Atlanta Braves. And San Diego has received seven straight sequence because the All-Star break.
In the meantime, the Pirates have pivoted in the other way. Their 6-5, 10-inning loss Sunday on the Los Angeles Dodgers was their seventh straight defeat — that streak features a sequence sweep final week at house to San Diego — and dropped them to 5 video games out of the ultimate wild-card place.
The most recent loss was significantly galling for Pittsburgh, which rallied from a 4-0 second inning deficit with the assistance of two two-run homers by Andrew McCutchen and took a 5-4 lead within the tenth by way of Bryan Reynolds’ one-out RBI single.
However struggling nearer David Bednar, who blew consecutive save probabilities Wednesday and Thursday in opposition to San Diego, could not grasp on to the lead. He gave up a game-tying RBI double to Enrique Hernandez and a walkoff single to Teoscar Hernandez.
Worse but, Bednar threw a whopping 37 pitches and is probably going unavailable Monday night time, which may imply some uncomfortable decisions for supervisor Derek Shelton if the Pirates get a save scenario.
“We all know what’s at stake and we all know what we have to do,” stated Pittsburgh pitcher Mitch Keller. “It [stinks] to have a nasty stretch right here.”
Left-hander Marco Gonzales (1-1, 4.54 ERA) probably will begin for the Pirates on Monday. He confronted the Padres on Wednesday night time in Pittsburgh, permitting eight hits and 5 runs in 4 2/3 innings of a recreation San Diego received 9-8 in 10 innings.
Gonzales has a profession file of 1-0 with a 5.52 ERA in three profession begins in opposition to San Diego.
–Discipline Degree Media