Nationals place Adams on IL; Taylor day to day
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PHILADELPHIA -- The Nationals added yet another player to their rapidly growing injured list Sunday morning, placing first baseman Matt Adams on the shelf with a left shoulder strain. Adams made a diving play to his right in the second inning on Saturday night, then injured his shoulder while diving back to first base to retire Phillies infielder Phil Gosselin.
Adams’ shoulder was still stiff when he arrived at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday morning, and manager Dave Martinez said the team was still waiting for MRI results for Adams and center fielder Michael A. Taylor, who was out of the lineup after jamming his left wrist later in that same inning on Saturday. Still, Adams was going to be sidelined for a few days and the depleted Nats could not afford to play shorthanded.
Jake Noll, the lone healthy infielder or outfielder on the 40-man roster, was called up from Triple-A Fresno to take his place.
“[Adams] came into today really, really sore and barely could lift his shoulder up,” Martinez said. “If that’s the case, he can’t swing like that. So we thought we needed able bodies right now.”
Adams joins a laundry list of sidelined players, which includes fellow first baseman Ryan Zimmerman (plantar fasciitis in his right foot), third baseman Anthony Rendon (bruised left elbow), shortstop Trea Turner (broken right index finger) and reliever Trevor Rosenthal (viral infection).
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Adams was supposed to be the everyday first baseman while Zimmerman was sidelined and had posted an .737 OPS with three home runs in 29 games this season. Howie Kendrick will likely get most of the playing time at first base in their absence.
The injuries left Martinez searching for a way to piece together a capable lineup Sunday as the Nationals have been left without their No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5 hitter from Opening Day, their top left-handed pinch-hitter and their best defensive outfielder off the bench.
“These have been some trying moments,” Martinez said. “But like I’ve said before, we've got a bunch of young kids getting an opportunity to play. As you can see yesterday, they give you all they’ve got every day.”