Java Joe will be tough to replace.
The San Diego Padres’ 2024 season didn’t end the way most fans had hoped, and to make matters worse, the team lost one of its top starting pitchers prior to the start of the National League Division Series.
Joe Musgrove battled injuries throughout the season, but still managed to make 19 starts for the Friars despite multiple trips to the injured list. Sadly, the injury bug finally caught up to the right-hander when he was pulled after 3 2/3 innings into Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Atlanta Braves. Musgrove was removed from the start having thrown only 41 pitches, and it had nothing to do with production.
Prior to the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, it was revealed that Musgrove tore his UCL and would need Tommy John surgery. With the typical timeframe for recovery expected to be upwards of one year, the Padres will enter the offseason under the notion that Musgrove will be unavailable to pitch until 2026.
AJ Preller gives Padres fans insight with how Joe Musgrove will be replaced in 2025
With that as a backdrop, it’s understandable why Padres President of Baseball Operations AJ Preller was asked about his plans for the San Diego starting rotation in 2025. At his end-of-the-season press conference, Preller fielded a number of questions, and addressed the path forward for what’s now a vacancy in the rotation.
Preller mentioned that the Padres will evaluate the current crop of pitchers within the organization, while also keeping an eye outside the organization. The Padres’ top executive did not rule out a potential trade as a means to replace Musgrove in the rotation.
Barring any changes or injuries before Opening Day next season, the top of the Padres rotation would seem to be set with the trio of Yu Darvish, Michael King, and Dylan Cease. But after that, the production drops off quite a bit. Matt Waldon is an option, in addition to Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito, but those aren’t names that are going to inspire a lot of excitement among the fanbase.
Making the rotation an even bigger question mark heading into next season is the fact that both King and Cease will be entering their final year of team control. Preller did briefly discuss the idea of a long-term extension with some of the team’s top talent, but quickly said that there’s nothing imminent.
Replacing Musgrove will be no easy task, but after watching Preller work his magic last offseason, the Friar faithful should have full confidence in San Diego’s front office and ownership to fix this.
