Adams sidelined, Zimmerman still waiting, Grace avoids injury

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - With Ryan Zimmerman being held back until the calendar at least reads March, Matt Adams was in position to get a bunch of playing time at first base early this spring. The offseason addition, though, was scratched from yesterday's lineup and is expected to miss a couple more days with a blister that developed on his right foot.

Adams reported the issue yesterday morning and showed the blister to manager Davey Martinez. He was immediately scratched from the lineup and won't be in today's lineup as originally scheduled, either.

"He's got a blister, pretty significant," Martinez said. "I told him before it gets worse, let's just (sit down). So he'll probably take a couple days off til we get it right."

Signed over the winter to a $4 million contract, Adams will serve as Zimmerman's backup at first base and the top left-handed bat off the Nationals bench. He takes over the role more than capably held last season by Adam Lind, who remains unsigned and unemployed.

Adams, who has been working extensively with new hitting coach Kevin Long and has been thrilled with the results, has taken only four plate appearances so far this spring, going 0-for-3 with a walk. It'll be a few days before he gets another chance at the plate.

"I told him just get it better so it doesn't become an issue," Martinez said. "The biggest thing is not letting it get infected."

Zimmerman, meanwhile, was supposed to start Sunday and actually lead off so he could get two quick at-bats without needing to stay out on the field for long. The veteran first baseman, though, informed Martinez that morning he was sore from the early spring workouts, so the manager decided to scratch him.

Zimmerman still hasn't made his game debut yet, though Martinez said yesterday that's been his cautious decision, not the player's.

The Nationals got a brief injury scare during the eighth inning yesterday when Matt Grace was struck in the face by a comebacker. Martinez and director of athletic training Paul Lessard raced to the mound to check on the left-hander but were surprised when he waved them off.

How did Grace avoid serious injury?

"Tipped his glove," Martinez said. "I thought it hit him in the face. I screamed at Paulie, 'Hey!' We went out there, he looked at us and said, 'What?' I said, 'Did you get hit in the face?' 'No, it skipped off my glove first.' I said, 'Are you OK?' 'Yeah, do I got a mark?' 'Nope.' 'I'm good, then.' "

Grace finished out the inning, though he allowed two runs (one earned) that brought the Marlins back to tie the game 2-2.