Padres reliever Austin Adams underwent surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his forearm this afternoon, reports Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). It marks a disappointing end to a season that has been wiped out by a forearm strain he suffered in April.
The timetable on Adams’ recovery isn’t clear, but it may cost him a chunk of next season as well. Sanders likens the procedure to the one teammate Drew Pomeranz underwent last August. He’s been out for almost a calendar year and just embarked on a minor league rehab assignment a couple weeks ago. One can’t just assume players’ recovery processes will be identical, of course, but it seems as if the 31-year-old Adams could lose the bulk of the 2023 campaign.
The right-hander made just two appearances this season. Adams got into 65 games a year ago, working to a 4.10 ERA with a huge 31.5% strikeout percentage through 52 2/3 innings. He paired that swing-and-miss stuff with extreme wildness, however, walking nearly 15% of opponents and bizarrely plunking 24 batters. Adams led MLB in opponents hit by pitch, six clear of second-place Joe Musgrove, despite being a single-inning reliever.
Control woes notwithstanding, Adams could’ve worked his way into medium or high-leverage innings on the strength of his wipeout slider had he been healthy this season. Unfortunately, he’s instead spent the vast majority of the year on the 60-day injured list. Adams will be paid his $925K salary and collect a full year of service time. He’ll eclipse the four-year service threshold and remains arbitration-eligible through 2024. He wouldn’t be in line for more than a marginal raise next season if the Pads tendered him a contract, but they could elect to non-tender him and reallocate his spot on the 40-man roster over the winter if they anticipate he’ll miss the majority of the 2023 campaign.
Neon Cop
Most out of control pitcher I’ve seen in years!
Jacksson13
During his recovery Austin will be at home with the ADAMS FAMILY !
Brew’88
Thin Padre RP group becomes thinner.
Gwynning
Yikes! Thankfully Pom, Suarez and Pierce are tracking well. Castillo to the 40?
Brew’88
Better come soon. Have you checked out the remaining schedules of Cardinals, Phillies and Brewers?
Gwynning
29th easiest remaining schedule for the Cards, 24th Phils, 17th Brew Crew with the Dodgers and Pads following them at 18 and 19. It’s going to be a donnybrook for the rest of the season! Run the gauntlet and get your invitation to the dance. That’s all that matters now. Just keep winning series! Be good Brew
Brew88
Let’s hope Rogers keeps hanging some curves and Voit gets hot when they play the Nats!
beersy
Why do Padre pitchers always wait so long to get surgery? It completely baffles me?
southpawjb
Not just pitchers…