Why AJ Preller wouldn’t guarantee Joe Musgrove, Nick Pivetta returns to Padres

Ask A.J. Preller a yes-or-no question, and he can turn it into a guided tour through progress reports, general optimism and carefully protected timelines. It’s a skill that isn’t exclusive to the Padres POBO. It comes standard with the position across MLB.

Ben Higgins and Steve Woods asked Preller a simple question during Friday’s appearance on 97.3 The Fan: Will Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove pitch for the Padres this season?

Preller discussed their progress. He explained the process. Then stopped short of guaranteeing either return. Honestly, it was predictable. Fans wondered why he couldn’t just say, “I don’t know.” Others complained that Preller had used a lot of words to say little to nothing at all. That frustration is understandable. Padres fans have heard enough vague injury updates. This time, the vague answer was also the responsible one.

Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta cleared one hurdle, nothing more

Within hours of Preller’s interview, Pivetta and Musgrove faced hitters at the Padres’ complex in Arizona. Pivetta threw approximately 20 pitches, while Musgrove threw 23. It was the first live batting-practice session for either pitcher since suffering their respective elbow injuries.

That’s legitimate progress. It was also one inning of controlled work in Arizona. What comes next is how their elbows respond. Still, a pitcher completing live batting practice is encouraging. It doesn’t guarantee they’ll survive a rehab assignment, build a starter’s workload and remain healthy against major-league hitters. 

Pivetta and Musgrove also aren’t traveling identical roads.

Pivetta is recovering from the flexor strain that has kept him out since April. He produced a 2.87 ERA across 31 starts in 2025 and finished sixth in National League Cy Young voting. The Padres know what a healthy Pivetta can provide.

Musgrove’s situation carries considerably more uncertainty. He underwent Tommy John surgery in October 2024, suffered another setback during spring training and hasn’t pitched in a major-league game since the 2024 postseason. The Padres’ official injury tracker lists Pivetta’s expected return as August. Musgrove’s is listed as late August or September.

Grouping them together makes the update sound more reassuring than it is. Pivetta has a plausible path back into the August rotation. Musgrove remains a potential late-season bonus. The Padres cannot responsibly build one timeline around both pitchers, and Preller couldn’t guarantee something their medical staff still has to determine.

When we reflect on the Padres 2026 season so far, we know where the anger is coming from. Padres fans aren’t only reacting to Preller’s interview style. They’re reacting to a team hovering below .500, sitting four games outside the final NL Wild Card spot, with limited resources and running out of time before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

San Diego’s starters carried a 4.69 ERA into Friday, the fourth-highest rotation mark in baseball. Pivetta and Musgrove are the kind of names that can inspire hope when the alternatives are failing to cover meaningful innings.

That hope cannot become the deadline plan.

The latest update suggests both pitchers could require another live session before beginning rehab assignments. Even if everything goes smoothly, a return isn’t expected until the middle or latter portion of August.

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