Washington Nationals activate Matt Adams from Injured List; option Adrián Sanchez

Washington Nationals’ GM Mike Rizzo teased Matt Adams’ return from the Injured List this morning, telling 106.7 the FAN in D.C.’s Sports Junkies that the veteran, “... should be back with the ballclub very, very soon, possibly today if all goes well overnight with him.”

Adams, 30, missed 15 games with a left shoulder strain after injuring himself on a diving play at first base.

He went on the IL on May 15, after 29 games in which he was 16 for 64 (.250/.269/.469) with five doubles, three home runs, two walks, and 25 Ks in 67 plate appearances.

Adams told reporters earlier this week, as quoted by MASN’s Mark Zuckerman, that he was just waiting for the medical staff to clear him to return:

“Whenever the people in charge decide it’s a go, whenever the training staff talks to them and gives them the OK, then it’s out of my hands,” he said.

“I’m just making sure I’m following what I’m supposed to do to check the boxes I need to check and get out there and play the game with my boys.”

With Adams back, the Nationals are closer to fielding the roster they have expected to be sending out there every day than they have been in a while, though Ryan Zimmerman still remains on the injured list.

Rizzo said this morning that Zimmerman, “is not too far down the road, so positionally we’ll be fairly whole again, which is a good thing.”

In order to make room on the roster for Adams’ return, the Nationals optioned infielder Adrián Sanchez to Triple-A Fresno. Sanchez is 4 for 16 in limited action in the majors in 2019, with five Ks in 16 PAs.

Adams is starting at first tonight tonight in his first game back as the Nats try to avoid a third straight loss to the New York Mets in Citi Field and a fourth straight loss overall.