Padres' Jason Adam: From Retirement Fears to All-Star Glory!

By: Danilo Pérez Published On: 15/07/2025

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San Diego Padres All-Star relief pitcher Jason Adam's journey to the pinnacle of baseball is nothing short of remarkable. He recently revealed that he almost retired due to persistent injuries, opening up about his struggles in dealing with them.

Before even making it to the big leagues, Adam endured four surgeries on his throwing elbow. After the third surgery, he seriously considered hanging up his glove for good. "I remember I’d had three surgeries, and this was the closest I’d been (to playing again)," Adam recounted. "I was throwing rehab outings in Florida and I was pitching and I felt that same pop in my elbow, and I was like, ‘No way.’ I went home to my wife (Kelsey) and I opened the door. She’s all excited, because this is one of my last outings before I’m escaping rehab. And she’s like (excitedly), ‘How was it?’ And I just started crying. I was like, ‘No good.’ At that point I was crying because I don’t know if I’m ever going to play again. This just can’t get right. That was probably the lowest of lows."

Adam missed both the 2015 and 2016 seasons due to injury, eventually joining the Padres organization midway through the 2017 season. He modified his delivery while with the Padres before being released. He then rejoined the Kansas City Royals, the team that originally drafted him, and finally made his MLB debut.

"So after that moment where I came home crying, I was just like, ‘Am I even supposed to be playing?’ I asked that.," Adam stated. "I just prayed every day, like, ‘God, do you want me to be playing this game?’ At first it was like, ‘I really want this.’ And I eventually got to the point where I’m like, ‘I don’t even care anymore. Like, ‘Do you want me to play or do you not want me to play? Please make it clear.’ And so it brought me to my knees of total surrender. Like I’m working hard, I’m trying to do everything I can, and it’s obviously out of my control. And then I got total peace about trying to keep playing, so I just stuck with it. My wife, she’s a saint. She stood by me throughout the entire process."

Now, as an All-Star, Adam's story serves as an inspiration to aspiring players and a testament to the power of perseverance. He joins fellow Padres Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Robert Suarez, and Adrian Morejon in representing the team at the 2025 MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta.

Padres All-Star Gear Available Now

For fans looking to support their favorite Padres players, Fanatics has released brand-new All-Star game gear. Jerseys for Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., as well as All-Star Game hats and t-shirts, are now available for purchase.