In Photos: Joe Musgrove & girlfriend Arica Christensen steal giraffes' attention at San Diego Zoo as Padres ace rehabs Tommy John
Joe Musgrove's injury-plagued 2024 season came to an end after the LA Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres in the NLDS. Despite ending on a heartbreaking note and being unable to eventually go on and win the World Series, the Friars have plenty of positives to take away from their spirited performances.
For now, MLB players can relax for a while, after another grueling 162-game season. It appears Joe Musgrove and his girlfriend, Arica Christensen, are making the most of that opportunity.
On Sunday, the Padres ace took to Instagram to post a series of pictures as the couple enjoyed a trip to the San Diego Zoo. The snaps featured a wide range of wildlife, such as hedgehogs, wolves, elephants, and giraffes, which the pair were allowed to feed by hand.
Arica Christensen posted images of the fun-filled trip on her social media stories. The images featured the Padres pitcher sporting a brace on his arm, after having recently undergone Tommy John surgery.
Arica Christensen accompanies Joe Musgrove for Tommy John surgery
Joe Musgrove endured a tough 2024 season. After having missed a large part of the season due to injury, the right-hander looked good after his return in August. With the Padres building up a head of steam going into the playoffs, and Joe Musgrove looking better on the mound, it looked like the 31-year-old had returned at the perfect time.
However, the San Diego native suffered another injury setback in the postseason. Musgrove left the mound in the fourth inning of Game 2 of the Padres' clash against the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card Series.
Tests revealed that Musgrove injured his right elbow and would need another lengthy rehab stint before pitching again.
After the season ended, Musgrove prioritized getting the surgery done and dusted, heading to Arlington, Texas, to consult Dr. Keith Meister. Arica Christensen accompanied him every step of the way. After a successful surgery on Oct. 11, Musgrove posted an update for fans on social media.
Unfortunately, elbow injuries are especially problematic for pitchers, and rehab is a long journey. Though a set date has yet to be announced for Musgrove's return, it is expected that the ace will once again miss at least the first half of the season. Padres fans will be hoping the talented pitcher can bounce back from this injury, and get back to doing what he does best, striking out batters at Petco Park.
Musgrove has 585 strikeouts in 559.1 innings in his four years with the Padres, and earned an All-Star nod in 2022.