Padres general manager A.J. Preller is never quiet when the MLB trade deadline comes around. He made his first significant move Sunday, addressing one of the club’s biggest needs.
They acquired right-handed reliever Jason Adam from the Tampa Bay Rays, bolstering their bullpen at the cost of their top pitching prospect and two other minor league players.
In exchange for Adam, someone to help lock down the eighth inning to get to closer Robert Suarez, the Rays received right-hander Dylan Lesko (Padres No. 3 prospect, No. 76 overall), center fielder Homer Bush Jr. (Padres No. 8), and catcher J.D. Gonzalez (Padres No. 12).
In 47 innings this season, Adam has posted a 2.49 ERA and struck out 50 while walking 16. His 35.2% swing-and-miss rate puts him among the top 20 relievers in the majors.
Adam, who turns 33 on Aug. 4, remains under the Padres' control through the 2026 season. Tampa Bay signed Adam toward the end of spring training in 2022 after spending four seasons with the Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs.
Lesko, 20, drafted to San Diego with the 15th pick in the 2022 draft but has struggled this season with a 6.46 ERA. In his 69 2/3 innings of High-A level ball he has 79 strikeouts but has allowed 52 walks and 11 home runs.
Bush, the son of former Yankee and 1998 World Series Champion Homer Bush, was a fourth-round pick from Grand Canyon University in 2023 and is slashing .272/.362/.347 with four home runs and 47 stolen bases at the High-A level.
Gonzalez, 18, was chosen a round before Bush and is best known for his cannon of an arm behind the plate. At Low-A, he is batting .205/.322/.230 and has yet to hit a home run in 48 games.
The Padres are expected to make at least one more move before Tuesday’s deadline, most likely for a starting pitcher. They could also use another left-hander reliever and another utility player.