To make room for Joe Musgrove’s activation from the 60-day injured list, the Padres designated reliever Carl Edwards Jr. for assignment ahead of Monday’s 6:40 p.m. first pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Musgrove is expected to be limited to about 60 pitches after throwing 43 in his lone rehab start on Aug. 4.
The task ahead of him will be a bit more challenge as he won’t have Manny Machado manning third base. The 32-year-old veteran is getting a scheduled day off after starting every Padres game since returning from a tweaked hip on June 10.
That 50-game stretch includes serving as the DH 13 times but not once since July 25.
Machado is hitting .292/.326/.525 with 12 homers and 36 RBIs over those 50 games.
“This guy’s going out playing third every day,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “He’s been able to post, which has been huge for us. He’s been a big part of what we’re doing obviously, played a tremendous third base. But just looked at it, kind of circled it with him, you know, coming back from Miami, where he was home and like a night game, played afternoon game, day game, you know, playing every day.
“Just felt like it was a good day for him to get off his feet to start to start the game.”
May we interest you in a cup of Joe? pic.twitter.com/njgB3ksGPH
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 12, 2024
With Machado on the bench, Donovan Solano will serve as the third baseman and five-hole hitter. Luis Arraez is the DH and leadoff hitter, Jake Cronenworth will play first base and Xander Bogaerts will serve as the designated hitter.
Kyle Higashioka will catch Musgrove’s first since May 26.
Edwards, 32, appeared in just one game with the Padres, allowing a hit, walking two batters and throwing a wild pitch on Thursday against Pittsburgh.
Here is how the Pirates will line up to start the three-game series:
Game 1 in San Diego.
📺 @SNPittsburgh
📻 @937theFan | The PRN#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/JhcF2i0eOK— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 12, 2024
Monday’s pitching matchup
Pirates RHP Jake Woodford (0-3, 7.41 ERA)
The Pirates announced on Monday morning that he’d fill the TBA. He was signed in June after beginning the season with the White Sox, where he allowed 10 runs in 8⅓ innings. Woodford has since allowed seven runs — four earned — in 8⅔ innings, including three runs in 2⅓ innings in relief against the Padres after last week’s rain delay. Woodford has thrown as many as five innings as recently as July 31.
Here is how Woodford has fared against current Padres:
Padres RHP Joe Musgrove (3-4, 5.66 ERA)
He’s making his first start since May 26. His comeback from elbow pain included just one rehab start, in which he threw 35 of his 43 pitches for strikes over 3⅓ innings. Musgrove has a 3.33 ERA over 27 innings against the Pirates, the team he pitched for from 2018-2020.
Here is how Musgrove has fared against current Pirates:
Originally Published: