TORONTO -- The Nationals endured injuries to a number of key members of their lineup earlier this season, but Matt Adams was one of the main reasons they remained so steady. His early-season performance helped carry and stabilize their offense when they were in need.
Even as some of those players have returned healthy, it seems as if the injury bug keeps striking. It caught Adams in Friday's 6-5 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre when he was forced to leave the game in the third inning after a pitch hit his left index finger on a bunt attempt an inning earlier.
His finger was still swollen after the game and in a splint as he left the ballpark, and the team said he will be re-evaluated Saturday.
"I'm not going to try to bunt for a while," Adams said. "It is what it is and stuff like this happens. It's good to stay in a good mindset about it."
Adams initially attempted to remain in the game despite his injury. He finished his at-bat after getting hit by right-hander Aaron Sanchez's 95-mph fastball, eventually striking out, though he was in obvious discomfort. He played first base during the bottom of the second inning, but appeared to be favoring his hand while receiving a pair of throws on groundouts.
"I mean, I knew from the get-go it was bad, but I wanted to do everything I could to stay out there," Adams said. "I don't like coming out of games and putting other guys in tough positions."
But by the bottom of the third, Mark Reynolds had taken Adams' place at first base.
"He was hurting," manager Dave Martinez said. "He went out and played defense, went back, tried to hit and swing. He wanted to hit. But I told him, 'Hey, I know you couldn't swing. Let's not chance it.' We'll see what happens tomorrow."
Adams had another injury scare a few weeks ago in Atlanta after he fouled a ball off his foot and it stayed swollen until after the game. He returned to the lineup a few days later, which was a positive for a Nationals lineup that has been leaning on his production. Adams has put up a .926 OPS with 13 home runs in 57 games.
"We'll revisit it tomorrow," Adams said. "It is what it is, but I think right now it's just day to day. Come in tomorrow, get some treatment and see how it feels."