The San Diego Padres bullpen has been riding high all season. The recent struggles of setup reliever Jason Adam are concerning, but not alarming.

It is unthinkable to believe Adam would have been struggling a few months ago. He has not fallen apart. The right-hander is still one of the best eighth-inning setup options coming out of the ‘pen in baseball today. Adam has put together quite a start to his 2025 campaign by pitching to a 1.64 ERA in 33 appearances. He has struck out 26.4% of the batters faced while walking only 12.1%.

What has caused Adam’s struggles?

Unfortunately, he hit a bump in the road and the damage came fast in tough one-run losses. Over his last five appearances, Adam has given up three runs on seven hits. The good news is the velocity has not decreased as he struck out six batters during this period.

His struggles could be attributed to bad luck and overwork. Watching him, you sense his command was fading with each pitch thrown. Adam is known for his pinpoint control, but when it disappears, his outings can unravel quickly.

One person who has not lost any confidence in him is Padres manager Mike Shildt. There is no sense of panic inside the Friars dugout after a rough outing.

It is not at all difficult to see Adam turning things around after a little rest. The time off could provide a spark that rekindles his dominant form.

Padres starting rotation must go deeper in games

Collectively, the Friars starting rotation must extend their outings beyond the five innings. The outcomes have ranged from promising to inconsistent as the bullpen was left with no margin for error.

The continuous work has put a strain on the unit. The current state of the rotation could burn out the bullpen by the All-Star break. We are into June, and no longer are underperforming starts tolerable.

Missing Yu Darvish and Michael King from the starting rotation has been devastating. Each brings experience and the ability to throw with the rhythm that delivers a quality start. It sets a tone for the others in the rotation. Other starters need to fill the void of their absences.

Let’s not forget the Friars acquired one of baseball’s reliable arms coming out of the pen last season. Adam had a 2.73 ERA in 170 appearances with the Tampa Rays. Even with his recent struggles, he has earned the benefit of the doubt after providing stability to the Padres bullpen.

A few quality outings can get Adam back on track. He is built to pitch in October baseball.