The San Diego Padres have made a significant move to bolster their bullpen by acquiring right-handed reliever Jason Adam from the Tampa Bay Rays. The deal, which was reported by multiple media outlets on Sunday morning, sees the Padres sending three prospects to the Rays in exchange for Adam.
According to reports, the Rays will receive right-hander Dylan Lesko, outfielder Homer Bush Jr., and catcher J.D. Gonzalez in return for Adam. MLB.com had ranked Lesko, Bush, and Gonzalez as the Padres’ third, eighth, and twelfth prospects, respectively.
Adam, who is 32 years old, has been a reliable arm out of the bullpen for the Rays this season. He has a 4-2 record with four saves and a 2.49 ERA in 47 relief appearances. Throughout his career, Adam has accumulated a 16-11 record with 24 saves and a 3.07 ERA in 249 relief appearances with various teams, including the Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and Rays.
On the other side of the trade, the Rays are adding some promising young talent to their farm system. Lesko, who was the 15th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, has struggled in his first season in High-A Fort Wayne, posting a 1-9 record with a 6.46 ERA in 16 games.
Bush, a 22-year-old outfielder, has shown some promise at the plate for the TinCaps, batting .272 with four home runs and 17 RBIs in 86 games. Gonzalez, an 18-year-old catcher, has been solid for Single-A Lake Elsinore, batting .205 with 31 RBIs in 48 games.
Overall, this trade appears to be a win-win for both teams. The Padres add a proven reliever to their bullpen for the stretch run, while the Rays acquire some talented young players to help bolster their farm system for the future. It will be interesting to see how Adam performs in his new surroundings and how the prospects develop in their new organization.
