The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Adams thriving in Atlanta
Getting regular playing time the secret to success.
ST. LOUIS — Matt Adams was back at Busch Stadium on Friday, but this time “Big City” was suiting up in the visitor’s clubhouse and entering the field through the third-base dugout, playing against the Cardinals instead of with them.
It was his first game in St. Louis since the Cardinals traded Adams to the Braves on May 20 in exchange for minor league infielder Juan Yepez, a deal the Cardinals made because they had nowhere to play Adams while the Braves needed a fill-in first baseman after Freddie Freeman fractured his wrist May 17.
As popular as he was with the Cardinals and their fans, the trade worked out well for Adams, who thrived with regular playing time after being used as a bench bat by the Cardinals.
”I found a home over here (with the Braves),” said Adams, 28, who had a .272 average with 15 home runs, 43 RBIs and a robust .539 slugging percentage in 65 games for the Braves before Friday’s series opener. “Good group of guys that love to play the game, and it’s fun to be a part of.”
The trade worked out well for the Braves, who got even better-than-hoped-for power numbers and run production from Adams while he filled in for their best hitter, Freeman. After starting 55 games at first base, Adams moved into a leftfield platoon arrangement at the beginning of August
when Freeman switched back to first base, after Freeman played primarily third base in his first few weeks back from the disabled list.
When asked Friday about his solid statistics including a career-best home-run ratio with the Braves this season, Adams said, “I don’t really look at that too much. I’m just thankful to be able to go out there and play every day. Thankful to be with another great organization that takes care of their players and puts guys out there on the field that want to be out there and play the game hard.”
In his first game back at Busch, Adams was set to face Adam Wainwright, the onetime Braves prospect from Georgia who’s had a distinguished 12-year career with the Cardinals, including four seasons of 19 or more wins. Now 35, Wainwright entered
Friday with an 11-5 record and 5.00 ERA, his worst ERA as a starter but the ninth consecutive time he’s had at least 11 wins in nine full seasons as a starter.
”It’s going to be weird,” Adams said. “I talked with Waino sometime in spring about if we ever face each other, and it’s going to happen tonight. He was one of my good friends on that team, so it’s going to be cool to face him, for sure.”
Adams hit .292 with one homer in just 53 plate appearances spread over 31 games for the Cardinals this season prior to the trade. They tried him in left field during spring training and some early-season games but weren’t satisfied with his outfield defense, and the Cardinals were committed to using Matt Carpenter at first base.
Carpenter hit .253 with 15 homers, 55 RBIs and a .386 on-base percentage in 108 games before Friday.
Adams entered the homecoming series one home run shy of matching his careerbest 17 homers in 2013, when he hit .284 in 319 plate appearances in his first full season in the majors. Adams also had 16 homers last season while hitting .249 in 327 plate appearances for the Cardinals.
Getting regular playing time with the Braves was all he was looking for, and when manager Brian Snitker promised him that and delivered it, Adams produced in a big way for the Braves. He hit .291 with 14 homers, 36 RBIs and a .609 OBP and .944 OPS in his first 46 games for the Braves through July 16, before Freeman returned to the lineup July 17.