Jason Adam walked through the clubhouse doors on Tuesday afternoon on crutches. He did not even reach his locker before Jackson Merrill stopped what he was doing, walked across the room and gave the 34-year-old veteran a hug.

A day after Adam crumpled on the mound while trying to field a comebacker , the Padres are still processing how they will move on. An MRI on Tuesday confirmed that a ruptured left quad tendon will end his season. He is expected to undergo surgery on Wednesday and then begin a six- to nine-month rehab that “should put me in a good spot for next year,” Adam said.

Again, that’s next year.

The more immediate concern is what the strength of the Padres looks like without one of their three All-Star relievers. Toward that end, relievers met Tuesday afternoon as the co

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