Joe Musgrove is back on a big-league roster nearly two years after elbow surgery, and the search traffic shows it. The San Diego Union-Tribute reports the Padres unveiled their postseason roster Tuesday morning, and the 33-year-old right-hander from Grossmont High School is on it as a reliever.
Musgrove last pitched in the majors in 2024, exiting a Wild Card Series start at Petco Park with the elbow injury that required reconstructive surgery. He had surgery in October 2024, missed all of the 2025 season and faced setbacks this year while stretching out as a starter. He turned a corner in his recovery by pitching in shorter bursts, and now he is part of an 11-man pitching staff.
The Numbers Behind the Search
Google Trends data shows about 10,000+ searches in the United States Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, for the term “joe musgrove.” The search volume is not a claim from the article. It is a separate measurement of interest. The spike comes as the Padres announced their postseason roster Tuesday morning, and Musgrove’s name was among the terms people searched.
Who Is Joe Musgrove
Musgrove is a 33-year-old right-hander from San Diego who graduated from Grossmont High School. He made his name as a starter before the elbow injury, but the Padres are using him in relief now. His inclusion on the Wild Card Series roster is notable because he has not pitched in the big leagues since that 2024 start at Petco Park.
What Changed Between Starts
Musgrove’s recovery took a sharp turn this season when he started pitching in shorter bursts between starts. That approach helped him manage his workload during the stretch-out process.
Neither Randy Vásquez nor Griffin Canning was included on the wild-card roster after they combined to cover all nine innings in Sunday’s regular-season finale.
The Rest of the Roster
The Padres will carry three catchers, including 20-year-old Ethan Salas, who will be the youngest player to catch a playoff game when he gets behind the plate. The team added Miguel Andujar to the roster instead of Sung-Mun Song, giving the Padres another right-handed hitter as they face Cubs left-handers Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, David Peterson, Ryan Rolison, Caleb Thielbar and Jordan Wicks.
The Padres and Cubs open the series at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Why This Matters Now
Musgrove’s return was not sudden — the roster announcement Tuesday morning made it official. A player who has not pitched in nearly two years is now part of a playoff roster, and that is the kind of story that drives attention.
What Happens Next
The Padres open the Wild Card Series against the Cubs at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Musgrove’s role will depend on how he performs in warm-ups and how the bullpen manager reads the matchups.
Musgrove’s presence on the roster is a statement about his health. Two years after surgery, he is ready to pitch again.
Source material: “Padres unveil postseason roster — and Joe Musgrove is on it,” sandiegouniontribune.com.
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