San Diego Padres news: The plan for Fernando Tatis Jr., Joe Musgrove talks, Campusano hits IL
![San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4142,h_2329,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_752,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/133/01gy8srcqjpga4b9e2x8.jpg)
The start of the season has not gone the way the San Diego Padres envisioned, but it's clear that the team will look much different as this week rolls along. That's part of our Padres news roundup as we check in on Joe Musgrove and Fernando Tatis Jr., and touch on some other injuries.
San Diego Padres news: Joe Musgrove talks about his final rehab outing
While much of the attention about the upcoming series in Arizona will focus on the return of Tatis, Musgrove is tentatively slated to take the mound for the first time this season on Sunday in the series finale against the Diamondbacks.
After suffering a toe injury in spring training, then enduring a setback in a Triple-A rehab outing, Musgrove allowed four runs on six hits in 5.0 innings of work on Sunday for the Lake Elsinore Storm. He also struck out eight batters while not issuing a walk, pushing his strikeout-walk numbers in his two rehab starts to 14-1.
Now back in San Diego, Musgrove talked about that start with Lake Elsinore.
Joe Musgrove discusses his rehab start with Lake Elsinore yesterday: pic.twitter.com/TCzodIPGcJ
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) April 17, 2023
If all goes according to plan, Musgrove will take the spot of Ryan Weathers (who has pitched well) in the starting lineup on Sunday.
San Diego Padres news: Fernando Tatis Jr. done with Triple-A
The countdown is on for the return of Tatis on Thursday in Arizona, and the clock sped up perhaps a little bit more in the mind of Padres fans on Monday when El Niño was back at Petco Park. One of the reasons he was back in San Diego? He is officially done destroying Triple-A pitching and will work out with the Padres ahead of Thursday's debut.
Fernando Tatis Jr. will work out at Petco Park the next three days and travel to Arizona with the team after Wednesday’s game.
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) April 17, 2023
The plan is for him to not play another minor league game.
(He is still suspended, so he will not be on the field by the time gates open to the public.)
Based on how Tatis has looked in Triple-A, Padres fans are counting the minutes until they see him officially back on the roster and in the box against projected starter Ryne Nelson in the desert.
San Diego Padres news: Luis Campusano hit injured list
At first, it seemed that a thumb injury might not be severe enough to land Campusano on the injured list. However, the catcher landed there on Monday ahead of the series opener against Atlanta.
The #Padres placed C Luis Campusano on the 10-day IL with a left thumb sprain and recalled INF/OF Brandon Dixon from Triple-A El Paso.
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 17, 2023
It's expected that Brett Sullivan, called up from Triple-A, will make his MLB debut behind the dish on Tuesday as he catches for Blake Snell.