Rumors quashed, Musgrove 'sharp' in return

PITTSBURGH -- Trade rumors are nothing new for Joe Musgrove. He’s been dealt twice, once to the Astros as a young prospect and six years later to the Pirates as a young big leaguer. He’s learned to accept that it’s part of the business, something he can’t control.

He was reportedly nearly dealt again before Monday’s Trade Deadline, as MLB insider Robert Murray tweeted on Tuesday that talks between the Pirates and Blue Jays involving Musgrove broke down just before 4 p.m. ET. Toronto pivoted to acquire Robbie Ray and Ross Stripling, and Musgrove remained in Pittsburgh.

In light of that news, there were two questions facing the Opening Day starter as he rejoined the rotation: What can the Pirates expect from Musgrove, and what can Musgrove expect from the Pirates?

After returning from the 10-day injured list to pitch three-plus innings in the Bucs’ 8-2 loss to the Cubs on Wednesday night at PNC Park, Musgrove assured there will be no hard feelings and no less dedication to the Pirates’ goal of getting better individually and as a team.

? Box score

“I didn’t hear about the Toronto deal until the day after the Deadline, and I really appreciate [general manager Ben Cherington] for giving me a call and filling me in on where they were at, the whole situation and how it broke down,” Musgrove said. “But I understand this is a business. It’s not my first time being in trade talks. It wouldn’t have been my first time being traded. My job is to go out there and perform.”

Musgrove felt healthy and looked sharp after working his way back from a bout with right triceps inflammation. Making his first start since Aug. 4, his fastball topped out at 94 mph, and he was able to throw both of his breaking balls -- a curveball and a slider -- for strikes and as out pitches. He worked into the fourth inning, increased his pitch count to 46 -- just shy of the 50-pitch limit manager Derek Shelton set for him -- and pounded the strike zone, throwing only 10 balls.

“I put a lot of good work into the past couple weeks. That was one of my main priorities, was to get myself healthy and get myself to where I can go out there and throw without hesitation,” Musgrove said. “That’s how it felt.”

After a leadoff double by Ian Happ, Musgrove retired the next nine Cubs in order. He struck out four -- three on sliders and one with a curveball -- and didn’t let them hit another ball out of the infield during the first three innings. Willson Contreras singled to right and Anthony Rizzo followed up with a double to begin the fourth, ending his impressive stretch and his first outing in nearly a month.

"The one thing that really stood out was the sharpness in the breaking ball," Shelton said. "It was really sharp for a guy who’s missed a month. We were only going to get him to 50 pitches, so we weren't going to extend him past that. … Excited to have him back, excited to be able to keep extending him.”

? Pirates will wear Clemente's No. 21 on Sept. 9

Musgrove then handed the ball to Shelton, who summoned right-hander Nick Tropeano. Báez made Tropeano pay for leaving a first-pitch splitter over the plate, bashing a three-run homer to left field, and it took Tropeano 28 pitches to finish the inning.

The game got away from the Pirates in the later innings due in part to what Shelton called “extremely sloppy” defense. The Pirates committed three more errors, running their Major League-leading total to 33 as they lost for the 24th time in 34 games this season.

“Tonight was sloppy,” Shelton said. “We’ve got to be better than that.”

Musgrove, a fierce competitor and a leader in the clubhouse, admitted it was difficult to be sidelined while the team struggled. That helped motivate him to return to the mound as quickly as possible, even if that meant building up his pitch count over a few starts. But Musgrove also expects more of himself than he’s shown so far, and he wants to use the final weeks of this shortened season to prove what he’s capable of.

“Regardless of where you’re at in the standings, any player here, I don’t think our goal is to get to the big leagues and have sporadic spurts of greatness,” Musgrove said. “It’s to find a way to be here for a long time. You’re constantly trying to improve your game and find a routine and things that will help you stay consistent.”

The Pirates will also spend the remainder of the season taking stock of their rotation and planning for the future. Musgrove’s return nearly made the starting staff whole. They’re only missing right-hander Mitch Keller, who is due back at some point this month.

With Musgrove, Keller, Steven Brault, Trevor Williams, Chad Kuhl, JT Brubaker and Jameson Taillon all under club control beyond this year, it seems likely that at least one starter will be moved out before next Opening Day 2021. Whether Musgrove’s name resurfaces in trade rumors or not, he’s learned not to worry about it.

“It’s not going to change the way that I work or anything. I’m happy to be here. I like the team that we have. I really love the coaching staff. We’ve been hit by a lot of weird things this year,” Musgrove said. “I’ve kind of removed that stuff out of my mind, and I just continue to prepare the same way.”