Adams held out with sore left knee

JUPITER, Fla. -- First baseman Matt Adams was unavailable for the Cardinals on Sunday after waking up with a sore left knee. Manager Mike Matheny did not put an estimate on how long Adams might be sidelined by the issue.

"I have no idea how it happened," Matheny said. "He said he just woke up and it was swollen. We'll keep a close eye on it."

Adams played eight innings in the field in Saturday's Grapefruit League opener and went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. With Adams hurting and Allen Craig limited by shoulder soreness, the Cardinals have limited first-base options for the time being. Ty Wigginton and Matt Carpenter handled the position on Sunday.

Adams is on the outside looking in at a bench spot this spring, though hardly by his own doing. He left little question that he is ready to move past Triple-A competition, but the dynamics of the Cardinals' roster make it difficult to see a way in which Adams could make the Major League club unless there is an injury to someone else.