Joe Musgrove is staying put with the San Diego Padres. Musgrove and the Padres agreed to a 5-year extension with their ace pitcher. The deal keeps Musgrove in his hometown, playing for his hometown team. According to MLB.com writer A.J. Cassavell, the extension is worth $100 million and takes effect next season. Additionally, it also means Musgrove will not test the free agent market. He is in the final year of his current contract.
A year and a half ago, Joe Musgrove came home. Today, he ensures he’ll be staying right at home in San Diego for the long haul.https://t.co/yUWoTx0lIJ
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) August 1, 2022
Joe Musgrove News and More
Keeping Musgrove in San Diego was necessary for general manager A.J. Preller for many reasons. He threw the Padres’ first no-hitter in franchise history. Furthermore, Musgrove came close again this season, pitching 8.1 hitless innings before giving up a single. Musgrove earned the nickname “San Diego’s favorite son” after finishing the milestone. It was his first career no-hitter and the first for the franchise.
He has lived up to that expectation this season. In 2022, opposing hitters are batting .207 against him. He is notching 8.9 strikeouts per nine innings pitched (strikeout-per-nine ratio). His strikeout-to-walk ratio is 4.22. His ERA on the season is 2.65. The Padres are expecting more of this over the next five years.
The Padres are in the middle of a five-team race for a National League Wild Card spot. As of Aug. 1, the Padres trail the Atlanta Braves by five games for the top Wild Card spot. They lead the Philadelphia Phillies by 1 1/2 games. The St. Louis Cardinals are 2 1/2 games behind the Padres. The San Francisco Giants are 5 1/2 games behind.
Preller avoids extra anxiety down the stretch by locking up his star pitcher in Joe Musgrove. The Padres general manager has been focused on other areas of the roster that need improvement. Earlier today, the Padres didn’t finish business. Aside from the Musgrove extension, the Padres are acquiring Josh Hader from the Milwaukee Brewers. There are reports that have San Diego linked to Juan Soto, Willson Contreras and Josh Bell.
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Players Mentioned:
Joe Musgrove, Josh Hader, Juan Soto, Willson Contreras, Josh Bell
