Padres Lose All-Star Reliever to IL Immediately Before Dodgers Series

An oft-injured reliever takes another hit.

Fans watch from the right field lawn area as San Diego Padres pitcher Jason Adam (lower right) warms up in the bullpen before the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on April 9, 2025. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

An oft-injured San Diego Padres relief pitcher was placed on the 15-day injured list immediately before the Padres take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in a critical National League West series.

For the second time in two years since the Padres acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays, Jason Adam is headed to the injured list. This time, he's dealing with a right shoulder strain.

The IL placement comes three days after Adam's last appearance against the Chicago Cubs, which resulted in the 34-year-old allowing a run in the ninth inning of a 2-2 game at Wrigley Field.

Right-hander Germán Marquez was activated from the injured list in a corresponding roster move.

The Padres and Dodgers begin a four-game series at Dodger Stadium later Thursday.

Adam began the season on the injured list, still recovering from the quad injury that ended his 2025 season prematurely and required surgery. Right away, he was instrumental in bridging the middle innings for closer Mason Miller, putting together a 2.25 ERA in nine April appearances.

Adam was even better in May, going 2-0 without allowing a run out of the bullpen in 13 appearances. But he was shaky in June, allowing 15 hits and seven runs (5.11 ERA) in 14 games. Overall, Adam leads the team with 17 holds.

In 377 career appearances with the Kansas City Royals (2018), Toronto Blue Jays (2019), Cubs (2020-21) Rays (2022-24) and Padres (2024-26), Adam is 29-17 with a 2.67 ERA.

Marquez, 31, had a 5.76 ERA in six starts after beginning the season in the Padres' Opening Day rotation. He's been on the IL since May 3 with nerve inflammation in his right forearm.

The Padres signed Marquez in February after facing him from the other side from 2016-25 when he pitched for the Colorado Rockies. In 11 MLB seasons, Marquez is 71-74 with a 4.70 ERA.

The Padres will send Randy Vásquez to the mound to face Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki in the series opener. Twelve games separate the second-place Padres (43-42) and first-place Dodgers (56-31) in the standings.

Without Adam, Padres manager Craig Stammen will have only Marquez, closer Mason Miller and two other right-handers — Bradgley Rodriguez and Ron Marinaccio — available out of the bullpen against their division rivals.

Marquez hasn't pitched out of the bullpen since he made three relief appearances for the Rockies as a rookie in 2016.

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