The San Diego Padres’ beginning rotation is about to get a probably key piece again Monday evening for the primary recreation of a three-game collection with the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
Joe Musgrove (3-4, 5.66 ERA), who’s been out since Could 26 attributable to proper elbow irritation, is scheduled to take the mound. Whereas he is in all probability going to be restricted to 60 pitches after throwing 43 for Single-A Lake Elsinore on Aug. 4 in Fresno, Musgrove, a right-hander, is optimistic he is able to make an influence for San Diego down the stretch.
“A variety of strikes, commanded nearly every little thing, (velocity) is in a very great spot,” he mentioned of his rehab begin within the minors. “Physique feels good popping out of it.”
It was Musgrove’s second injured listing stint of the season, each with the identical subject. This time, he not solely took his time recovering but in addition bought a PRP injection along with cortisone. Musgrove mentioned his elbow hasn’t bothered him since he began throwing once more.
Musgrove’s elbow was feeling ok for him to unleash a 96 mph fastball in Fresno, the toughest pitch he is tossed all 12 months.
“Any time you get Joe again, it is useful,” Padres supervisor Mike Shildt mentioned. “The extra wholesome arms you could have right now of 12 months can also be useful.”
Musgrove is 1-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 5 profession begins in opposition to Pittsburgh, which traded him to San Diego earlier than the 2021 season. He hopes to even that document for one of many hottest groups within the recreation.
Even with Sunday’s 7-6 loss in Miami, the Padres have gained 16 of their previous 19 video games and are tied with Arizona for the highest wild-card spot within the Nationwide League, 4 video games away from the Atlanta Braves. And San Diego has gained seven straight collection for the reason that All-Star break.
In the meantime, the Pirates have pivoted in the other way. Their 6-5, 10-inning loss Sunday on the Los Angeles Dodgers was their seventh straight defeat — that streak features a collection sweep final week at dwelling to San Diego — and dropped them to 5 video games out of the ultimate wild-card place.
The most recent loss was notably galling for Pittsburgh, which rallied from a 4-0 second inning deficit with the assistance of two two-run homers by Andrew McCutchen and took a 5-4 lead within the tenth through Bryan Reynolds’ one-out RBI single.
However struggling nearer David Bednar, who blew consecutive save probabilities Wednesday and Thursday in opposition to San Diego, could not cling on to the lead. He gave up a game-tying RBI double to Enrique Hernandez and a walkoff single to Teoscar Hernandez.
Worse but, Bednar threw a whopping 37 pitches and is probably going unavailable Monday evening, which might imply some uncomfortable selections for supervisor Derek Shelton if the Pirates get a save state of affairs.
“We all know what’s at stake and we all know what we have to do,” mentioned Pittsburgh pitcher Mitch Keller. “It [stinks] to have a nasty stretch right here.”
Left-hander Marco Gonzales (1-1, 4.54 ERA) possible will begin for the Pirates on Monday. He confronted the Padres on Wednesday evening in Pittsburgh, permitting eight hits and 5 runs in 4 2/3 innings of a recreation San Diego gained 9-8 in 10 innings.
Gonzales has a profession document of 1-0 with a 5.52 ERA in three profession begins in opposition to San Diego.
–Subject Degree Media
