11 months agoAfter making the All-Star team for the first time in his career in 2022, San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove only made 17 starts in 2023 and was shut down in late July due to a shoulder injury. The 31-year-old also dealt with a toe injury. The good news is that despite his injury-plagued season, Musgrove was basically the same pitcher he was in his first two years in San Diego. He went 10-3 with a 3.05 ERA (3.52 FIP), 1.14 WHIP, 21 walks and 97 strikeouts in 97 1/3 innings pitched. He was working his way back late in the year, but when the Padres were eliminated from playoff contention, the Padres decided to shut him down entirely and let him get an early start on rehabbing in the offseason. Musgrove is one of just five starting pitchers in the big leagues that has had an ERA below 3.20 in each of the last three seasons, and he's also had double-digit wins in each of the last three seasons despite making only 17 starts last year. Musgrave has most likely reached his peak in terms of statistical performance, but when he's healthy, he's a low-risk starter for fantasy managers in a friendly pitcher's park at Petco. Heading into the 2024 season, though, he'll carry more risk because of his shoulder injury and should be considered a solid No. 3 fantasy starter. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 32 starting pitcher, while ATS projects Musgrove to break his streak of ERAs lower than 3.20 with a 3.62 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 163 strikeouts in 162 innings pitched.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBaller