Jason Adam has plenty of experience with the business side of baseball, but that doesn’t remove the shock that always comes with changing teams. On Sunday, the reliever was traded by the Kansas City Royals — his hometown team, the team he was drafted by in 2010, and the team he made his major league debut with in 2018 — to the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays are the fourth organization of Adam’s career. He was traded from the Royals to the Twins in 2014. Adam injured his elbow in his first outing after the trade and had four different surgeries trying to heal it. It was during the multi-year rehab process that Adam developed a much deeper relationship with God.
“Every time my arm broke again, God was kind of breaking me a little bit more, a little bit more,” he said on the Sports Spectrum Podcast in February. “It was finally that time I needed the fourth surgery I completely broke.
He signed as a free agent with the San Diego Padres in February 2017, was released that August, and then signed back with the Royals five days later. After making his MLB debut May 5, Adam pitched in 31 games for the Royals last season, striking out 37 batters in 32.1 innings. He did not surrender an earned run in his five appearances for the Royals this spring training.
Whether in Kansas City, Toronto or somewhere else, Adam tries to glorify God in every aspect of his life, including baseball.
“A true faith and living truly for Jesus is not church on Sunday then work,” he said. “It’s together. It impacts everything — how you live and every conversation you have.”
Adam’s wife, Kelsey, gave insight into the life a pro athlete with a post on Facebook, in which she said they are trusting God’s plans despite being shocked by the trade:
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