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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 02: Pitcher Joe Musgrove #44 of the San Diego Padres reacts after a strikeout to end the top of the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park on September 02, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
This Friday, the San Diego Padres will kick off a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park.
Recently, the Padres completed an impressive series sweep against the Atlanta Braves with a 5-2 victory on Wednesday.
The Padres’ starting rotation for the Dodgers series is anticipated to feature: Walker Buehler, Michael King, and Randy Vásquez. Notably, right-hander Joe Musgrove has not pitched for San Diego since the 2024 season.
Update on Joe Musgrove
Ahead of their series against the Dodgers, The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee provided an update on the status of Padres All-Star pitcher Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta.
Acee noted:
“There were some significant developments yesterday afternoon at Petco Park that don’t actually mean anything just yet.
Joe Musgrove threw off the front slope of the mound in the bullpen, while Nick Pivetta completed a light bullpen session for the second time.
This simply reinforces what we have discussed — that the two veteran starting pitchers are on target for a return post-All-Star break.
Pivetta could potentially be back on the mound for the Padres by late July, while Musgrove is expected to lag a couple of weeks behind. However, those familiar with the situation emphasize that timelines may change based on how the pitchers feel as they progress.
Musgrove hasn’t completed a fully healthy season since 2022, having pitched fewer than 100 innings in 2023 and 2024. Nonetheless, when healthy, Musgrove has proven effective, holding a 16-8 record and a 3.47 ERA since 2023. It seems unrealistic to expect Musgrove to reach 100 innings in the 2026 season, especially since he would require several rehab starts before rejoining the Padres.
San Diego Padres vs Los Angeles Dodgers
Before their series opener against the Dodgers, the San Diego Padres have revealed their starting lineup.
Underdog MLB shared on X: “Padres 6/26 F. Tatis Jr. RF S. Taylor LF J. Merrill CF M. Machado 3B G. Sheets DH X. Bogaerts SS T. France 1B W. Wagner 2B R. Durán C W. Buehler SP”
Despite facing the challenges of Musgrove’s and Pivetta’s absences, along with Lucas Giolito’s, Walker Buehler has provided a much-needed steady presence in the rotation. After a tough start to the season, Buehler has allowed one earned run or fewer in his last four outings, and has not given up more than three runs in any of his past three starts. This will be his second matchup against his former team.
King, scheduled to pitch during this series against the Dodgers, had his best performance of the season in his previous start against Los Angeles, not allowing a run in seven innings.
Meanwhile, Vásquez faced difficulties in his last outing, giving up three runs in 4.1 innings and suffering a loss.
Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His coverage spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has contributed to platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can follow him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, where he often discusses Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
