The San Diego Padres suffered a significant blow during their game against the Baltimore Orioles when All-Star reliever Jason Adam sustained a devastating leg injury that could alter the team’s postseason trajectory. With just 25 games remaining and the division race intensifying, the injury update comes at a brutal time for the Padres.
USA Today reporter Bob Nightengale posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) with a serious update from manager Mike Shildt regarding the right-handed reliever’s condition, delivering troubling news after the game.
Jason Adams' injury is serious, Padres manager Mike Shildt says, "a quad tendon rupture.'' https://t.co/BW6FyvdoUz
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 2, 2025
The incident occurred in the seventh inning at Petco Park. Adam had returned to the mound after pitching the sixth and collapsed awkwardly while attempting to field a ground ball. Trainers quickly came to his aid as he clutched his leg, and he was eventually carted off the field without putting any weight on it — a troubling scene for a team relying heavily on its bullpen depth.
The confirmed quad tendon rupture is one of the most severe injuries a pitcher can face. The typical recovery timeline ranges from six months to a full year, often requiring surgery. Adam had been a staple of the Padres bullpen, boasting a 1.93 ERA and earning his first All-Star selection this season. His consistency and strikeout command were cornerstones of San Diego’s late-inning strategy.
With Adam sidelined, pressure now shifts to deadline acquisition Mason Miller and veterans like Robert Suarez to fill the void. The bullpen, once considered a strength, will now be tested deeply during the season’s final stretch.
For San Diego, the 34-year-old reliever’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time, stripping the Padres bullpen of one of its most reliable late-inning arms during a critical stretch of the season.
With just weeks remaining in the regular season, how the Padres respond to the loss of Adam will be a defining factor in their playoff pursuit. The injury not only tests the depth assembled by A.J. Preller at the trade deadline, but also places added weight on the shoulders of a bullpen now tasked with navigating high-leverage situations without one of its most trusted arms.
