Adams latest to IL, Rendon could return Tuesday (Nats down 7-1)

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals added yet another significant position player to the injured list today, with Matt Adams now off the active roster due to what for now is being called a left shoulder strain.

Michael A. Taylor, meanwhile, remains on the active roster even though he underwent an MRI this morning on his left wrist after jamming it into the turf trying to make a diving catch in center field Saturday night.

Not that the Nationals have any more players who could be summoned from the minor leagues to fill another roster spot at this point.

The club recalled Jake Noll from Triple-A Fresno to take Adams' place. The rookie infielder, who took a red-eye flight from Las Vegas to Philadelphia, was the lone remaining healthy infielder or outfielder on the Nationals' 40-man roster who wasn't already in the big leagues.

"We need able bodies right now," manager Davey Martinez admitted.

Adams also underwent an MRI this morning, to determine the extent of any damage to his left shoulder suffered when he dove into first base Saturday night to record an out on a bang-bang play. The big slugger was unable to lift his arm all the way up this morning, so the Nationals went ahead and put him on the 10-day IL before knowing the MRI results, recognizing they needed to make sure they had a healthy first baseman today (Noll).

"His shoulder is pretty stiff," Martinez said. "He's not going to be able to play for a few days. So we thought the best thing with him is to get him healthy."

With Adams now joining Ryan Zimmerman (plantar fasciitis) on the IL, the Nationals are down to their third-string first baseman. That would be Howie Kendrick, but Martinez felt he needed to give the veteran utility man today off, given how much he has had to play the last few weeks.

"I had to give Howie a day off today," Martinez said. "I was reluctant. He told me (he could start) if I need him. But it's longevity for Howie. He's played a lot. The weather's not great. I told him: 'Just be ready to be plopped in, in a big moment.' "

If you've lost track, the Nationals now are without their Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 hitters from opening day, plus the guy who had been filling in as cleanup hitter in the last week, plus potentially their No. 4 outfielder.

There is one bit of good news on the injury front, though: Anthony Rendon took a full round of batting practice Saturday and reported his left elbow was strong. Rendon is eligible to come off the IL on Tuesday, and Martinez suggested there's a decent chance he'll be activated then.

Update: The Nationals' makeshift lineup today didn't produce a run through three innings, but it also has cost the team two runs in the field. The Phillies loaded the bases in the bottom of the first via a single, an error on Carter Kieboom and a 12-pitch walk. Aníbal Sánchez was on the verge of getting out of it, though, when Noll let César Hernández's sharp grounder to first go through his legs, bringing two runs home. Sánchez wound up throwing 44 pitches in the inning, though he has settled down to retire seven in a row and has a total pitch count of 68 through three frames. The Nats went silent the first time through the order, but then Kurt Suzuki just did it again. He homered to left in the top of the fourth. He's now 4 for his last 5 with three homers and a double. Guess that's why he's hitting cleanup today? Nats down 2-1 in the fourth.

Update II: This got ugly in the sixth. Real ugly. Matt Grace gave up five runs, via four singles, a double and a walk. What was a winnable game became a 7-1 deficit.