Joe Musgrove’s October return gave the San Diego Padres a welcome reminder of what he can contribute. It didn’t set up how a lot beginning work he can deal with in 2027, making another plan an essential a part of the offseason.
The distinction is workload, not the importance of his comeback. A pitcher can ship significant postseason outs with out demonstrating the repeated begins and restoration {that a} full rotation project requires.
MLB’s postseason file lists three scoreless innings throughout two aid appearances, with 4 strikeouts. That efficiency equipped speedy worth whereas leaving San Diego with a for much longer planning horizon.
The Padres ought to put together to learn from Musgrove’s return whereas constructing sufficient depth to deal with a smaller contribution if needed.
Three October Innings Can not Set a Season’s Workload
Musgrove’s latest regular-season file explains why the excellence issues. Baseball Savant’s profession desk reveals 97.1 innings in 2023 and 99.2 in 2024, following 181 innings throughout his All-Star season in 2022.
His 2026 main league return got here within the postseason after he missed the common season. Padres On SI reported A.J. Preller’s uncertainty about his subsequent position in October, together with the chance that San Diego would use him otherwise.
That report offers context for offseason planning, not a brand new medical replace. The obtainable data doesn’t point out a selected innings restrict or everlasting bullpen project.
The sensible query is how the Padres cowl their schedule whereas studying what Musgrove can present. Leaving that reply totally to Spring Coaching would make the remainder of the employees extra depending on one favorable final result.
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Think about an illustration fairly than a projection: a pitcher making 25 begins at 5 innings every provides 125 innings. If he as an alternative makes 15 such begins, the membership should discover 50 further innings elsewhere.
These numbers don’t forecast Musgrove’s season or prescribe a protected workload. They present why a rotation plan wants a solution for missed turns, not simply an interesting record of names.
San Diego can deal with that uncertainty with further starters, pitchers who can cowl a number of innings, or depth with remaining flexibility. The very best mixture is determined by efficiency, availability, and value. For instance, an additional starter may cowl a gap project whereas Musgrove builds his workload, then shift into one other position if the rotation stays wholesome.
A succesful different would additionally give the Padres room to regulate Musgrove’s project as proof develops. They might have much less purpose to deal with each setback or workload change as a right away roster emergency.
That method preserves the upside of his return with out spending the winter counting innings he has not but demonstrated he can provide once more.
Musgrove can nonetheless develop into an essential a part of the 2027 employees. The stronger offseason plan would make his contribution invaluable whereas preserving the crew aggressive if he arrives in a distinct type.
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