Joe Musgroves MLB playoffs status in jeopardy after exiting with elbow tightness

The Padres may be in a glass case of emotion right about now.Their Wild Card sweep of the Braves came with the tough blow that starter Joe Musgrove exited the game early with right elbow tightness that puts his postseason status in jeopardy.The Padres visit the rival Dodgers on Saturday for Game 1 of the NLDS.“I’m bothered; I’m frustrated,” Musgrove said, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.“I don’t know what the future looks like for me right now, but I know I’m going to give it every chance I have and I’ll do whatever I have to do to get back in here at some point.”Elbow or forearm tightness is never a good development for a pitcher, and Musgrove at least told reporters an initial UCL test came back clean.

He’s scheduled to undergo an MRI exam on Thursday.That test will provide further details on whether he can potentially pitch again or if his exit in the fourth inning of Wednesday’s 5-4 win will be his final appearance of the season.Musgrove exited with two outs and none in the fourth in a 5-1 game after catcher Kyle Higashioka noticed something was off between pitches.His curveball registered at roughly 80 mph earlier in the inning but his final two pitches, both Uncle Charlies, approximately sat at 75 mph, the slowest curveballs he’s ever thrown, per MLB.com.Musgrove landed on the injured list twice this year due to elbow issues, including a nearly three-month absence stemming from a bone spur, but said this ailment felt “very different” than those.He allowed one run on one hit while striking out four in 3 2/3 innings.“I was barely getting the ball to plate,” Musgrove said, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.“My velo had dropped.

Stuff just didn’t look right.Didn’t feel right to me, but when you’re out there you never want to show anything and I was one out away from getting out of the inning.

I was hoping to get out of the inning and address it between innings.“I just couldn’t get through it.”He note...