Adams will rest, hopes to avoid DL trip
WASHINGTON -- Though Matt Adams is unlikely to play during the team's series in Washington, the Cardinals do not expect they'll need to place the first baseman on the disabled list while he is dealing with right side tightness.
A day after Adams first felt discomfort in his right oblique, he was cleared to throw and field ground balls on Tuesday. He has not resumed swinging since stopping his pregame work in the batting cage on Monday, which means it's unlikely that Adams is available even for a pinch-hit appearance.
"The tightness is still there, but it's definitely improved since [Monday]," Adams said. "I'm just following orders. Whenever I'm told to swing, I'll try to get down there and take some swings."
Adams has a reference point for this type of injury, and he said he's encouraged by the fact that the discomfort is not nearly as severe as it was when he missed 19 Double-A games in 2011 with an oblique strain.
With an off-day scheduled for Thursday, the Cardinals would be able to give Adams at least four full days to rest by holding him out of the rest of this series.
"He's going to continue to do some of the rehab, and we'll still move cautiously forward with him," manager Mike Matheny said. "We want to be on the front end of it. I think [the training staff is] pretty happy with where he is and being able to get to it before it was something of greater concern."