CLEVELAND — As the July 30 Trade Deadline approaches, the Padres continue to be one of the most captivating teams in sports. However, it’s hard to imagine them making more significant roster moves than the key additions they might see in August.
Specifically, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Joe Musgrove.
During the All-Star break, the Padres received encouraging updates on the recoveries of both Tatis (right femoral stress reaction) and Musgrove (right elbow inflammation).
Tatis, who has been out since late June, recently had an MRI. While the stress reaction in his right femur hasn’t fully healed, Manager Mike Shildt reported that the MRI results were promising enough to allow Tatis to resume some baseball activities.
“The MRI was positive,” Shildt said. “The stress reaction is still present, but much of the swelling and fluid has diminished. This is encouraging, so he’s able to swing the bat and perform some light lower-body exercises.”
Shildt mentioned that Tatis will undergo additional imaging soon. Once the stress reaction has healed, Tatis will begin a more intense training regimen. Shildt expects Tatis to quickly regain game readiness.
Regarding Musgrove, who has been sidelined since May due to elbow inflammation and triceps tendinitis from a bone spur, he completed his first bullpen session on Wednesday at Petco Park before traveling with the team to Cleveland.
Musgrove primarily threw fastballs during his session but plans to incorporate breaking pitches in future sessions throughout the Padres’ upcoming series in Cleveland, Washington, and Baltimore.
This marks Musgrove’s second stint on the IL this season with the same injury. The first stint was brief and didn’t allow sufficient recovery time. This time, Musgrove received a PRP injection and took nearly a month off from throwing. He reports no persistent issues during his return.
Despite a challenging season with a 5.66 ERA in 10 starts due to injuries, Musgrove could still have a significant impact if he returns by late August for the Padres’ playoff push.
“Obviously, I never want to be on the IL,” Musgrove said. “You always try to manage it. But the decision to go on the IL was about maximizing my impact this season, particularly in the final stretch.”
A healthy Musgrove and Tatis would significantly boost the Padres’ chances of making and performing well in the postseason.
“That’s enormous,” Shildt said. “Getting those guys back would be a huge boost for us. Every team deals with injuries, but having Tatis and Musgrove back would be a major advantage for us.”
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