Adames' homer a confidence booster in strong return

MILWAUKEE -- A dozen days after he was struck in the left temple by a foul ball, Willy Adames was back in the big leagues. The only sign of his ordeal was a small mark under his left eye.

Adames said one doctor, upon seeing video of the incident, told him, “You got lucky. You’ve got a really hard head.”

“I was like, ‘Everybody knows that,’” Adames replied.

The Brewers reinstated Adames from the seven-day concussion IL on Wednesday, and he announced his return by hitting a solo home run in the first inning, turning a highlight-reel double play in the second and delivering a double in the third in a 10-2 win over the Orioles at American Family Field -- a remarkable comeback considering the seriousness of his scare.

On May 26 against the Giants, Adames, the Brewers’ two-time club MVP and the team’s leader in most every offensive category since his arrival via a trade with Tampa Bay in May 2021, was leaning against the dugout rail while Brian Anderson batted in the second inning at American Family Field.

Anderson hit a 90 mph line drive foul that caught Adames by surprise, hitting him on the side of the head and sending him staggering down the steps to the bench, where he received immediate care.

Adames was transported to the hospital, where he remained overnight for observation. He said he had one CT scan at about 8:30 p.m. CT that night, and another at 4 or 5 a.m. the following day.

“I remember everything,” Adames said. “I remember when I got hurt. I didn’t lose any memory or anything. I remember every second of it.

“It was pretty shocking. Obviously, I was a little scared right after I got hit. You really don’t know what’s going on in there till you get hit like that. After I got the image in the hospital, that kind of calmed me down. I knew after that, I was safe.”

Adames’ phone filled with get-well texts, including from Anderson, who felt terrible.

“I didn’t know I was loved like that,” Adames said. “I got a lot of support from former teammates, from my teammates here, a lot of friends, people I wasn’t expecting to get texts from. It was special to see people were concerned.”

Adames landed on the IL the following day, briefly visited the ballpark on Sunday with swelling around a black eye, then he spent several more days recovering while the team was on the road.

Late in the week, he joined the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to resume workouts, even taking in a game while wearing a catcher’s mask at the urging of coach Matt Erickson.

By Sunday, Adames was able to begin a rehab assignment as the Timber Rattlers’ designated hitter. And rather than get on an airplane to join Triple-A Nashville for a few more games as originally planned, he drove to West Michigan on Tuesday to play one more game with the High-A club at shortstop.

At each step, Adames passed the test.

“He gradually increased activities and there were no issues. None at all,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.

Adames said he pushed to return after hitting a double and a home run in his first game in the Minors, but the team’s medical staff preferred he play at least one night game to make sure the lights didn’t trigger concussion symptoms.

When he passed that test, the Brewers brought him back. Rookie infielder Brice Turang was optioned to Triple-A Nashville.

“My body was feeling well and everything was pretty much normal,” Adames said. “I came today and went straight up to Counsell’s office. He already knew. He told me, ‘You’re in there.’

“He knew I was going to ask him to play today. We were on the same page.”

Is there any chance Adames continues to wear that catcher’s mask in the dugout?

“I might. It’s scary, man,” he joked. “You don’t really realize that until something like that happens. We’re always here making jokes, having fun. We don’t think about it until something like that happens. Obviously, I feel like I’m going to be paying attention, I’m going to be more concerned now. …

“I feel like after that everybody’s going to be paying attention -- more attention -- in the game. But I’m going to keep being me. It’s not going to keep me from what I do.”

The Brewers were glad to see him smiling again.

“I felt like I just got lucky,” Adames said. “I got blessed.”