LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 26: Starting pitcher Joe Musgrove #44 of the San Diego Padres throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on September 26, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Michael King set the tone for the Padres with his masterful performance in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series. 7.0 shutout innings with 12 strikeouts is a tough act to follow.
Joe Musgrove is probably the best guy possible to put on an encore. It’s hard to forget his outing two years ago in the clinching game of the Wild Card Series in New York when Musgrove threw 7.0 shutout frames with just one hit allowed against the Mets, sending the Friars to the National League Division Series.
He was also on the mound to start Game 4 of that NLDS and allowed just two runs over 6.0 innings, punching out eight Dodgers to help San Diego beat L.A.
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He's been stellar in closeout games before. He knows he can do it again because the moment is never too big for the Grossmont High School alum.
“You try not to make too much of it. You know, it's another game,” says Musgrove. “Obviously, the stakes are a lot higher, but it's the same game we played all year long. It's a team that we've seen before. It’s just a matter of managing your emotions and staying in the moment and not letting the fears and doubt and worry sink in.”
Yes, even professional athletes at the height of their sport get the butterflies, if not full-blown self-doubt.
“It's a real thing. Everyone experiences it,” says Musgrove. “But I think the longer you play this game, the better you get at managing that and trying to channel it to benefit you.”
Musgrove is probably as fresh at this time of year as he's ever been. He missed a couple of months in the middle of the year dealing with elbow issues, but once he came back, he was one of the best pitchers in the entire National League. Take away one fluky six run inning against the Giants, and he’s only allowed six runs over 49.2 innings.
Although he hated being away from the club, missing all of that time turned out to be a bit of a blessing in disguise for the big righthander.
“Any athlete will tell you, I think you have to create space for the ideal situation. I know I prepare mentally, physically, as well as possible to give myself the opportunity to be back and healthy. And then it's kind of just, you know, one day at a time,” says Musgrove of properly going through the arduous rehab process. “You keep checking boxes. You show up and give everything you have on days that you don't feel like doing it and you kind of just hope that things are going to fall where they should. But, we’ve got a really good training staff here. They do a good job of creating good programs and making time for us. So, I felt pretty confident.”
That last word is one Musgrove’s teammates use when talking about having Joe on the mound in a potential clincher.
“Man, all the confidence in the world,” says Fernando Tatis Jr., whose cloud-scraping home run in the 1st inning of Game 1 gave the Padres all the runs they would need. “We know what Joe is capable of. When Joe takes the ball it’s always special, especially in the postseason. Everybody has seen what he's capable of and how he’s showed himself in those moments.”
Here's one more fun fact: Joe Musgrove is the only pitcher on the Padres staff who has won a World Series game. In the 2017 Fall Classic he was the Game 5 winner as the Astros beat the Dodgers.
On the other side the Braves, who had to use what amounted to a bullpen game in the series opener, will go with an All-Star of their own in lefty Max Fried, who was a former 1st round draft pick of the Padres, and he could be a problem.
Fried is coming off a fantastic 8.2 shutout inning performance against the playoff-bound Royals and San Diego’s offense has struggled most of the year against southpaws, batting .239 off them as opposed to .272 against righties.
Game 2 is scheduled to start at 5:38 pm at Petco Park. The game can be seen on ESPN and we will have full coverage on NBC 7 News at 4, 5, and 11 p.m., as well as www.nbc7.com and the On Friar Podcast.
LISTEN: With NBC 7 San Diego's Darnay Tripp and Derek Togerson behind the mic, On Friar will cover all things San Diego Padres. Interviews, analysis, behind-the-scenes...the ups, downs, and everything in between. Tap here to find On Friar wherever you listen to podcasts.
