NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS DODGERS

October 9, 2024

Jason Adam

Petco Park

San Diego Padres

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. What do you make of the way this whole bullpen has come together, maybe not so much from a numbers and what you've accomplished-wise but in terms of the group and the collective ability to take the roles that you're asked to do?

JASON ADAM: It's a great group. I mean, really cohesive. I could see that just from day one when we got traded over here. They welcomed Tanner, B-Hoe and myself incredibly well.

There's no big egos out there. Everybody just wants to do whatever it takes to win a ball game, whether that's pitching in the fifth or the ninth, we really don't care, we just want to get the dub at the end of the day.

Q. Who was instrumental in making that happen?

JASON ADAM: I think it has to be the whole group. I think Fritz out there does a great job setting the tone. And then obviously like having Suarez at the back end, closing out games all year long, and so he would be the top dog in the bullpen, and he could carry that around and lord it over you like some people do. But he doesn't. He's just one of the guys that does his job incredibly well but pushes us all to do it well too.

Q. When you traded to the Padres, you might have had some impressions from a distance, like, what you heard and you knew they invested money and they had some big contracts and an NLCS couple years ago. But beyond what you saw from a distance, what did you learn when you got here that you didn't realize about this whole group?

JASON ADAM: What blew me away -- because you know the names. It's certainly like more star power than I had in Tampa. But what blew me away was the quality of teammates. So whether it's Manny, Bogey, Joe, everybody, but I didn't realize how good, how intentional they are with leading the team, how focused this team is.

I've been on too many teams, because I was bad for so many years, but I've been on a lot of teams and I've never seen a team so sold out for winning a ball game and celebrating even when they're not doing personally well but the team's doing well. So I think that was like the top thing. Everyone's like, how is it over there? It's crazy, everyone's all in on the team-first mentality.

Q. What has impressed you the most in watching Dylan Cease in the time you've been together?

JASON ADAM: I love his arm action, but I think he's really teachable. So he's as good as he is and as good as he's been for how many years now, he's picking -- like he's picking my brain about pitching, HE'S picking everybody's brain. HE'S always wanting to get better. He has that ace mentality.

He knows he's good, but he's not settling for where he's at now. And his stuff is electric. The fastball rides like crazy, the breaking ball is all -- everyone knows that. But I like watching how committed he is to getting better at his craft.

Q. What was your perception of San Diego as a baseball town before you got here compared to the experience that you've had, especially now the last week or so?

JASON ADAM: I had heard -- so I played here once before as a visitor and loved it. But I didn't realize, like, Tuesday night, sold-out crowd, doesn't matter who we're playing.

It's the best atmosphere I've ever got to play in, night in, night out, obviously especially in these playoff games. It's an incredible baseball town. I'm really happy and really want to keep winning for the fans here because they've done a great job for us.

Q. What's the conversation and mentality like in that bullpen tonight when you have Dylan Cease going on short rest and wanting to avoid having to play that fifth game in Los Angeles?

JASON ADAM: We're focused. I think the nature of all playoff games, especially like possible clinch games, you know they might launch the bullpen early. But we also -- we expect Cease to do what Cease does, and that's go deep and dominate hitters. There's comfort in that.

But we're going to be -- obviously we're stretching earlier in the playoffs and we're ready early, just go do our job whenever we're called on. But I'm excited to watch Cease work.

Q. Coming from Tampa, the guys that play there love it. So comfortable. And when they leave they struggle a little bit sometimes trying to get acclimated. Did it take you any time to get acclimated, just from the small crowds and how comfortable it is there to this?

JASON ADAM: No, honestly, no. I felt at home right away. Like you said, I loved Tampa. Everyone that goes through there, loves it. They do a great job. Nothing but good things to say there.

With Ruben welcoming me in and getting right on board with the pitching plan, the teammates, everyone, I think having everyone that's so on board winning a ball game, that doesn't change.

Big crowd, small crowd, if you're sold-out to win a ball game, you can keep your mind focussed on the task at hand. But it's a lot of fun going out there in front of all the fans and the atmosphere and all that.