The San Diego Padres have signed right-handed pitcher Joe Musgrove to a five-year contract extension through the 2027 season, president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller announced on Aug. 1.
Musgrove, 29, has an 8-4 record with a 2.65 ERA (34 ER, 115.1 IP), 0.99 WHIP and 114 strikeouts to just 27 walks in 18 starts for the Padres this season. He earned his first-career All-Star selection in 2022 and pitched a scoreless inning for the National League in the Midsummer Classic on July 19 at Dodger Stadium.
Earlier this year, the El Cajon native became the first pitcher in Major League history to post an 8-0 record (or better) with an ERA of 1.60-or-lower and 80-plus strikeouts over his first 12 appearances of a season. Among all qualifying NL starters, Musgrove currently ranks T-3rd in quality starts (15), 5th in H/9.0 IP (6.79), 6th in ERA, and 8th in SO/BB (4.24), BB/9.0 IP (2.11) and WHIP.
“Since joining the Padres, Joe has excelled as a pitcher, teammate and respected leader in the San Diego community,” said Padres chairman Peter Seidler. “I have a great feeling knowing that Joe will be an important and significant part of our organization for many years to come.”
“Joe has consistently performed at a high level over the last two seasons, throwing the first no-hitter in Padres history and becoming an All-Star,” said Preller. “He personifies a championship-level mindset and elevates the teammates around him. We’re extremely happy to have Joe as part of our core group moving forward as we work to bring a World Series title to San Diego.”
On April 9, 2021, in his second start as a Padre, Musgrove tossed the first no-hitter in franchise history against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in the club’s 8,206th game. He set or tied career highs during the 2021 season in a variety of categories, including innings pitched (181.1), strikeouts (203), ERA (3.18) wins (11) and games started (31).
Musgrove was also named the Padres representative for the 2021 Roberto Clemente Award, the annual recognition of a Major League player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
Over seven Major League seasons between the Houston Astros (2016-17), Pittsburgh Pirates (2018-20), and Padres (2021-present), Musgrove has gone 48-51 with a 3.82 ERA (337 ER, 793.1 IP) with a .240 opponents AVG, 1.16 WHIP and 13.4 WAR across 158 appearances (132 starts). His 2.64 career ERA (46 ER, 156.0 IP) at Petco Park is the lowest in the ballpark’s history (min. 25 starts), ahead of Jake Peavy’s 2.75 ERA (184 ER, 602.0 IP).
Musgrove made seven relief appearances for the Astros during their 2017 World Series championship run and earned the win in Game 5 of the World Series vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, tossing a scoreless 10th inning in Houston’s 13-12 victory.
Originally signed by the Toronto Blue Jays as a first-round selection (46th overall) in the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Grossmont High School, Musgrove was acquired by the Padres in a seven-player, three-team trade with the New York Mets and Pirates on Jan. 19, 2021.
