Padres On Verge of Getting Major Pitching Help

The Friars are getting back one of their pitching stars.

Jul 30, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Jason Adam (40) throws a pitch during the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres have awaited the return of star reliever Jason Adam for more than half a year. The right-handed appears set to rejoin the team this week, likely on Thursday when they return home from their road trip.

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune provided the latest update on Adam.

"Reliever Jason Adam, in the final stages of his comeback from September’s quad tendon surgery, might join the team on Wednesday in Pittsburgh. If not, the plan is for him to be activated Thursday at the start of the team’s six-game homestand," Acee wrote.

Ahead of the season, there was speculation Adam could be on the Padres' Opening Day roster as he had been pitching without any issues at the end of Cactus League play.

However, he ended up opening the season on the injured list as the team wanted to slow-play him out of camp.

In 2025, Adam played a pivotal role for the Padres bullpen as he sported a 1.93 ERA with 70 strikeouts across 65.1 innings of work. He earned his first All-Star selection last season at the age of 33.

Adam was one of three Padres relievers to be selected to the All-Star Game in Atlanta, which marked the first time in MLB history a team had a trio of relievers chosen to represent the team.

The Padres boasted the best bullpen in baseball last season, finishing the year with a league-leading 3.06 ERA and1.01 WHIP while keeping opponents to a .191 batting average.

The unit was the backbone of the 2025 Padres, so losing a critical piece like Adam was certainly costly for the squad down the stretch and in the playoffs.

Now, San Diego will be getting a much-needed boost to their bullpen with the return of Adam. The duo of Mason Miller and Adam in the backend of the bullpen should prove to be an elite combination for the Friars in 2026. It should also take some pressure off Adrian Morejon, who has struggled to open the season as the team's primary setup man.

With Miller in the ninth inning and Adam taking a majority of the eighth innings, the Padres can slide Morejon into the seventh inning role. They also have Jeremiah Estrada, David Morgan, Kyle Hart, Bradgley Rodriguez and Ron Marinaccio, although one of them will have to leave to make room for Adam.

The decision will likely be between Rodriguez and Marinaccio. Rodriguez has options, while Marinaccio does not.

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