Riley Adams Likely To Continue Seeing Playing Time
Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez wants to ease catcher Keibert Ruiz in now that he's returned from a bad case of influenza that caused him to lose 18-20 pounds. It will also give the skipper the opportunity to keep catcher Riley Adams' bat in the lineup on a regular basis after he posted a .793 OPS when he caught 11 of the last 13 games with Ruiz out. "We're definitely going to use him," Martinez said. "One, let him catch. And two, we can also DH Keibert like we've done in the past and let him continue to catch. He's done a great job. He's learned a lot over the years. He's really coming into his own. It's good to have him, to watch him play and to watch him get better every day he's out there." As long as the 27-year-old continues to play several times a week, he'll be valuable in two-catcher fantasy leagues.
Washington Nationals catcher Riley Adams (wrist), who broke the hamate bone in his left wrist in September of last year and needed surgery, has fully healed and said he doesn't have any lingering issues entering spring training. Before getting hurt, Adams was in the midst of a breakout in D.C., slashing .273/.331/.476 with four home runs, 21 RBI and eight runs scored in 44 games in his second full season with the team. Still, he won't have much fantasy appeal at all as long as starting catcher Keibert Ruiz remains healthy in 2024. The 27-year-old backup backstop should see most of his sparse playing time against left-handed pitching, with whom he produced a .960 OPS with three of his four long balls against in 2023.
Washington Nationals catcher Riley Adams (hand) injured his left hand after fouling off a pitch on Wednesday against the New York Mets and had to leave mid-at-bat in the bottom of the eighth inning. X-rays came back inconclusive, so he will undergo an MRI exam on Thursday. Club officials are worried that Adams may have injured his hamate bone. If he suffered a fractured hamate bone, Adams would miss the rest of the season but would have more than enough time to recover for spring training next year. The 27-year-old hasn't been a fantasy asset in 2023 despite hitting .273 (39-for-143) in 44 games for the Nats. Adams has just four home runs, 21 RBI and eight runs scored in 158 plate appearances.
Washington Nationals catcher Riley Adams (hand, wrist) was forced to leave Wednesday's game with a 1-2 count after fouling a ball off. Adams hurt his left hand or wrist and couldn't continue. He's been a solid contributor in a part-time role for the Nats but doesn't offer any fantasy value. Nonetheless, hopefully everything checks out fine for Adams and he's not forced to miss time.
Washington Nationals catcher Riley Adams had the best game of his career at the plate Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, three RBI, and three runs scored. It's only the second home run of the rookie's career in 51 at-bats. Adams is not getting the full complement of starts behind the plate, keeping him from being a consideration in even the deepest two-catcher leagues. Even if he were to receive more regular playing time, he'd need to improve his .640 OPS to be worth an add.
Washington Nationals catcher Riley Adams played the hero in just his second start with the team Saturday, hitting a go-ahead two-run home run with Washington down to it's last out against the Atlanta Braves and closer Will Smith. It was Adams' only hit in three at-bats, and he also drew a walk. Adams is no top prospect, but he does figure to see some time behind the plate for the rest of the year. With no stand-out offensive skill, he does not figure to be a contributor for fantasy this year or next, but there's always the chance that he'll continue to develop at the major league level.
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Riley Adams had a memorable night on Tuesday, recording his first hit as a major leaguer in the club's 6-1 loss to the White Sox. The 24-year-old swatted a double in his second career at-bat in the fifth, finishing the game going 1-for-3 with two strikeouts. Adams was called up from Triple-A in the wake of Danny Jansen landing on the IL, and he should split time behind the dish with Reese McGuire in his absence. He's a .265 career hitter in the minors and he's shown a bit of pop with 20 HR over his last 119 games dating back to 2019. The Blue Jays haven't gotten much offense out of their catching position this season, but it's hard to envision Adams making a significant enough impact to stay in the majors once Jansen returns from his injury.
Riley Adams To Make Major League Debut Tuesday Night
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Riley Adams will make his major league debut on Tuesday night against the White Sox, where he will get the start behind the plate and bat ninth in the order. Adams was called up by the Blue Jays on Tuesday in a corresponding move to the placement of catcher Danny Jansen on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. Over 19 games at Triple-A this year, Adams has gotten off to a hot start as he is slashing .250/.410/.600 with six home runs, nine RBI and 14 runs scored. He's got some power potential in his bat, and for managers looking for an improvement at catcher he's worth making a speculative waiver claim on.
