*Photo from MLB Trade Rumors*
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the San Diego Padres have acquired RHP Jason Adam from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for RHP Dylan Lesko, OF Homer Bush, and C JD Gonzalez. The trade has been confirmed.
In the two and a half seasons he's been with the Rays, Adam has blossomed into an elite reliever with high strikeout totals. He's off to the Padres with multiple years of control remaining, as he won't be a free agent until after 2026. He's been pitching as a setup man for the Rays ahead of primary closer Pete Fairbanks.
Adam is enjoying another successful season in a Rays uniform this season. He has a 2.49 ERA, 3.34 FIP, and 0.89 WHIP to his name, averaging less than a home run per 9 innings and 9.6 strikeouts per 9 while recording 4 saves in 47 innings pitched, making 47 appearances.
Using a fastball that averages at 95 mph paired with a slider and changeup, Adam has a top 5 percentile ranking in the majors in whiff rate. He gives the Padres another option in the late innings alongside Yuki Matsui, Jeremiah Estrada, and closer Robert Suarez.
Tampa Bay president of baseball operations Erik Neander said in a statement that "This was an extremely tough morning saying goodbye to Jason, who has meant so much to our organization on and off the field, but we are very excited to see these three guys we obtained from San Diego grow in our system."
The key piece in return for the Padres is Lesko, who is the Padres' 3rd overall prospect and ranks 76th in all of baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. The Rays had been targeting him back to his draft days, when he was chosen by the Padres out of high school.
A former first round pick of the Padres in 2022, Lesko has struggled in his second professional season but still has high upside entering the Rays system. With High A Fort Wayne this season, he has a 6.46 ERA and 1.54 WHIP, averaging 10.2 strikeouts per 9 innings and 6.7 walks per 9 in 16 starts and 69 2/3 innings pitched.
Bush is ranked as the Padres' 8th overall prospect per MLB Pipeline. Like Lesko, Bush has spent the whole season with Fort Wayne, putting together a .272/.362/.347 slash line with a .709 OPS, hitting 4 home runs and 10 doubles to go with 16 RBI's and 43 stolen bases in 86 games.
Gonzalez is ranked as the Padres' 12th overall prospect and is playing in his first professional season. With Low A Lake Elsinore this season, he has a .205/.322/.230 slash line with a paltry .551 OPS, hitting 4 doubles and no home runs with 31 RBI's in 48 games.
The trade is the first move by the Padres to upgrade their roster in the playoff hunt. The Rays have already traded starting pitcher Zach Eflin to the Baltimore Orioles and outfielder Randy Arozarena to the Seattle Mariners as they enter sell mode.
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