Padres' Jason Adam Reveals Return Timeline, Which Remains Far Away

Right-handed pitcher Jason Adam has been sidelined from the San Diego Padres bullpen since early July due to a shoulder injury.

Adam has seen his recovery process take longer than expected, with the right-hander originally anticipated to be out for one month. But the veteran has now taken a slight step forward toward his eventual return, with him playing catch from a short distance.

It was reported that Adam "reached 90 feet at what he estimated was 60% to 70% intensity." This is excellent news for the Padres, even if the veteran isn't expected to pitch for at least another four weeks.

Adam is hoping return by mid-September to give the bullpen another boost.

“You get somebody like that sometime in September,” Padres manager Stammen said. “That’s a big shot in the arm for everybody.”

Before going down with the injury, Adam had been one of the more reliable arms for the Padres in the bullpen. Losing him has hurt, with the veteran sporting a 2.51 ERA over 36 appearances, while also recording two saves.

He has not pitched since June 29.

Adam did say that he was pain-free recently, which is another strong step in his recovery. But the Padres don't want to get ahead of themselves, instead allowing him the time needed to fully heal.

“My command was trash, so I think I’m in midseason form,” Adam joked after throwing. “… I honestly felt as good as I’ve felt — at that intensity — all year. It felt clean. No pain. Really encouraged today.”

When Will Jason Adam Return?

With the playoffs rapidly approaching, the hope for Adam is that he can come back in mid-September. This would offer him the chance to make a few appearances over the final few weeks, allowing him to ramp up for the postseason.

“It’s hard because I haven’t got any sort of [plan],” Adam said. "But in my mind, my math, I’m hoping around the 12th to 15th of September would be a dream. .. I would love to get a few weeks of regular season, finish strong and roll in the postseason.”

The Padres bullpen has been a strength for the team all year, but getting Adam back could make a big difference for this group. Adam is a proven playoff performer over his career, with him recording a 2.45 ERA in six appearances.

San Diego has put itself directly in a position to reach the postseason following a hot stretch over the last few weeks. But having its full arsenal of options to use would make the Padres even more dangerous moving forward.

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