The San Diego Padres are missing one of the more crucial relief pitchers early in the new season. Right-hander Jason Adam started the year on the injured list, with him eligible to return on April 6.

The reason why the team placed Adam on the IL was mostly to do with the organization trying to preserve him for the long season. Adam underwent surgery in September 2025 to repair a ruptured quad tendon, and the team didn’t want to rush him back.

Having Adam hold out for the first few weeks or so could help prolong his season and give him more time to recover. The last thing that San Diego wants is to rush Adam back from the recovery, only to see him get hurt again.

But once Adam does return, the Padres will likely be cautious with his time on the mound, at least early on. The veteran provided more insight into when he may be coming off the injured list, and whether it would be on April 6.

“That’s my hope,” Adam said of returning when he’s eligible on April 6. “I feel great and ready. Obviously, the decision’s in their hands. But I feel really good about it.”

San Diego likes to use him in multiple day sets — allowing him to pitch in back-to-back games or three times over a five-day span. But due to the surgery recovery, this wasn’t an option for Adam to open the year.

In 2024, Adam made 27 appearances for the Padres after coming over in a midseason trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. During this time, he was excellent for San Diego, posting an ERA of 1.01 over 26.2 innings of work.

Last year, he was a workhorse for the team before the injury, making 65 appearances and sporting a 1.93 ERA. He made his first All-Star team last season, and he is a true weapon out of the pen for this team. The Padres badly want to get him back on the mound, and he should be a key piece to the already strong bullpen unit.

“We’ll see what the front office thinks is best, but I feel ready and excited to help whenever I can,” Adam said.

The right-hander did make two appearances this spring, pitching two perfect innings. Adam struck out two batters in his limited time on the mound.

San Diego is dealing with multiple injuries on the pitching staff. But it seems that they could be getting the veteran back sooner rather than later, which should provide a real boost to the team.

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