Padres To Be Without All-Star Jason Adam for Even Longer Than Expected

The San Diego Padres have been hit with a bevy injuries to their pitching staff this season, both in the starting rotation and the bullpen.

This has limited the overall ceiling of the group, leading to plenty of inconsistency on the field.

One pitcher who's been out for a few weeks is veteran right-hander Jason Adam, as he deals with a right shoulder strain.

Originally, Adam was expected to miss a little more than a month, but now his return timeline has been pushed back. According to Padres insider Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune, the right-hander is expected to be out for longer than initially thought.

"Jason Adam (right shoulder strain) was with the Padres in Kansas City, where he makes his offseason home. He will spend the next week at the team’s complex in Arizona," Acee wrote. "The Padres are still waiting for his subscapularis muscle to heal sufficiently before he begins a throwing program. An optimistic timeline when he went on the injured list July 2 was a mid-August return. That has been pushed back."

This is a major blow to the Padres' bullpen, as Adam had been a crucial piece for the relief staff. Adam has registered a 2.51 ERA over 36 appearances, giving the Padres a reliable arm for late-game situations.

Adam's season was delayed while he recovered from surgery for a ruptured quadriceps tendon that he suffered last season. This new injury will keep the veteran out for at least a good portion of the stretch run. It appears he'll be back at the end of August at the earliest, but more likely September.

“I hate to be missing time, especially at this point in the season,” Adam said at the time of the injury. “You want to be out there supporting your teammates. Especially in pretty crucial games in the middle of the long stretch with a lot of games, you want to be there. That’s what they pay us for in the bullpen.”

The Padres will be patient with Adam to ensure that he can return fully healthy. Even with the setback, Adam is expected to return later this season.

Jeremiah Estrada Injury Update

While Adam's injury is concerning, the team could be getting right-hander Jeremiah Estrada back from a knee injury next week. Estrada pitched in Triple-A on Tuesday, walking two batters and allowing one hit.

Getting Estrada back will help ease the burden on a taxed Padres' bullpen. The right-hander registered a 3.48 ERA in 21 appearances this year.

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