Report: Padres SP Joe Musgrove breaks toe while working out, could miss start of season

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove fractured his toe while working out on Monday, per Dennis Lin. The typical recovery time for this type of injury is between four and six weeks, leaving Musgrove’s status for Opening Day in question.

Musgrove pitched in 30 games for the Padres last season and totaled a 10-7 record with a 2.93 ERA. He struck out 184 batters in 181 innings and continues to pitch well in the front end of the San Diego rotation. Luckily for the Padres, this is an easy injury to rehab, and it just means Musgrove should be out a little over a month. Opening Day is scheduled for Thursday, March 30, meaning that if he recovers on the fast side of the timeline, he could still pitch in the team’s opening series against the Colorado Rockies.

As long as Musgrove is sidelined, San Diego will modify its rotation. Yu Darvish, who recently signed an extension, will likely take over as the team’s ace. He will be followed by Blake Snell, Michael Wacha and Nick Martinez to begin the year. Seth Lugo signed with the Padres in the hopes of being a starting pitcher rather than his typical reliever role, and he could get the chance out of the gat if Musgrove experiences any setbacks.