Padres ace Joe Musgrove drops 1-word verdict on pitching star's debut

Modified Mar 31, 2025 21:48 GMT

MLB: Playoffs-Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres - Source: Imagn

Joe Musgrove is a veteran pitcher for the San Diego Padres and has had some dominant starts throughout his career. Musgrove can appreciate a great outing from other pitchers as well, especially when they happen to be on his own team.

Nick Pivetta made his Padres debut on Sunday, and his outing instantly made new teammate Joe Musgrove proud. The team shared a post on Instagram.

"Pivetta’s @petcopark debut 🔥," the Padres captioned the post.

Pivetta pitched seven shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday Night Baseball, allowing just one hit in the process. This prompted Musgrove to share the post on his own Instagram story, and he dropped a one-word caption as well.

@mu59rove IG, Musgrove Nick Pivetta Comment

"Masterclass," Musgrove captioned.

Musgrove is one of the leaders of the pitching staff for the Padres, but Nick Pivetta gives the team another weapon. If Pivetta continues to be dominant on the mound, it could help lead to another great season for the Padres.

The Padres got a solid season out of Joe Musgrove in 2024, as he went 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA before getting injured. Pivetta went just 6-12 a season ago with the Boston Red Sox but still sported a solid 4.14 ERA.

Joe Musgrove shocked by low number of NL ROY votes for Jackson Merrill

The San Diego Padres are a team full of superstars, and Joe Musgrove is just one of many on the team. Jackson Merrill made an immediate impression a season ago as a rookie but didn't get a ton of support for Rookie of the Year.

Speaking on "MartyTimeTv" in November, Musgrove was shocked that Merrill wasn't a top choice for many voters.

"I was very surprised to see that he only got seven first-place votes," Musgrove said. "Winning the Sporting News Rookie of the Year is, in my eyes, the most valuable thing you can get. That's voted on by your peers that you play against and by very, very educated baseball people that know the game and see all the details that the average fan or the average writer might miss."

The Padres will continue to count on Musgrove to pitch well, but there is less pressure with more talent on the team.

About the author

Ryan Burks is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda with over 7 years of experience in the field, writing for publications such as Knup Sports. Ryan graduated from Elmhurst College in 2009 with a degree in Communications.

Ryan is a huge Chicago Cubs fan and enjoys their storied history and traditions. His favorite sporting moment was when the Cubs won the 2016 World Series, breaking a championship drought that dated back to 1908.

His favorite player was Ken Griffey Jr., as Ryan grew up during his prime and he was the coolest player in league history. Greg Maddux also deserves a mention, as he was truly amazing on the mound.

When not working or watching sports, Ryan coaches basketball and baseball, loves fishing, and spends time with his family.

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Edited by Nicolaas Ackermann