Padres’ Jason Adam Faces Season-Ending Injury in Loss to Orioles

SAN DIEGO, California — The San Diego Padres faced not only a defeat against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday but also a potential season-ending injury to All-Star reliever Jason Adam. The injury occurred during the seventh inning of the game, which ended in a 4-3 loss for the Padres at Petco Park.

In a tense moment, Adam went down in pain after attempting to field a ground ball hit by Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson. The game was tied 3-3 when Adam planted his left leg to move toward the ball and collapsed on the field, signaling for help from the dugout immediately.

Following the game, Adam spoke to reporters on crutches, revealing that he felt a pop in his leg. “I felt the pop right away, felt like the quad kind of rolled up, so I kinda knew it wasn’t good,” he said, indicating the seriousness of the injury. The 34-year-old plans to undergo an MRI to confirm a diagnosis of a ruptured quad tendon, which could require surgery and result in a recovery time of six to nine months.

Padres manager Mike Shildt expressed concern over the injury, describing Adam as “an absolute workhorse” for the team. Adam has been a key player this season, posting a remarkable 1.93 ERA and amassing 70 strikeouts over 65 1/3 innings pitched, significantly contributing to the Padres’ league-leading bullpen ERA of 3.11.

Adam’s absence will leave a noticeable gap in the bullpen as the Padres strive for a playoff spot, sitting 2 1/2 games behind in the National League West and ahead of the New York Mets for the second wild-card position. “We’ve got a great clubhouse. He’s well-respected and means a lot to us. We’ll miss him and we’ll have to figure it out,” Shildt noted.

Despite the setback, Adam remains optimistic about supporting his teammates from the sidelines as they pursue a potential World Series run. “I know there’s everything in this clubhouse to win the World Series, so you want to be a part of that,” he stated. As the Padres prepare for their next game against the Orioles on Tuesday night, Adam’s loss weighs heavily on the team.