Joe Musgrove
The hometown pitcher who authored one of baseball's most magical moments, throwing the first no-hitter in San Diego Padres history.
Born 1992 (age 34)·American baseball player·Birthday: December 4·Millennials
Biography
Joe Musgrove's story is woven into the fabric of San Diego. Growing up in El Cajon, he was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays straight out of high school, beginning a professional journey that saw him traded to Houston, where he won a World Series ring in 2017 as a reliever. A subsequent move to Pittsburgh gave him a chance to start, but the real fairy tale began when he was traded to his hometown Padres in 2021. On April 9, 2021, in just his second start for the team, Musgrove did what no Padre had done in over 8,000 games: he threw a no-hitter. The moment was electric, a perfect convergence of personal history and franchise-altering achievement. With a sharp slider and quiet confidence, he has since solidified himself as the steady ace at the front of the Padres' rotation.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Joe was born in 1992, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Joe Was Born
The biggest hits of 1992
#1 Movie
Aladdin
Best Picture
Unforgiven
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Joe's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1992Born
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1997Started school
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2005Became a teenager
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Could drive
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2010Could vote
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Turned 21
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2022Turned 30
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 34 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Threw the first no-hitter in San Diego Padres franchise history on April 9, 2021, against the Texas Rangers.
- Was a member of the 2017 Houston Astros team that won the World Series, contributing out of the bullpen.
- Earned a selection to the MLB All-Star Game in 2022 as a representative of the San Diego Padres.
- Pitched a career-high 181 innings in the 2022 season, establishing himself as a workhorse starter.
Did You Know?
He was traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Padres in a deal that involved six other players.
He attended Grossmont High School in El Cajon, California, just east of San Diego.
He is known for his extensive use of a slider, which is one of his primary strikeout pitches.
“I threw the first no-hitter in Padres history, for my hometown, on a blister and a prayer.”
