ANAHEIM – Second baseman Brandon Phillips was back in the Braves lineup Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Angels after missing two games with a swollen right knee, but it must be contagious since the guy next to him was out with a similar issue Wednesday.
First baseman Matt Adams was sidelined for the series finale after waking with a sore knee Wednesday, Braves manager Brian Snitker said. Jace Peterson moved from second base, where he filled in for Phillips in the first two games of the series, to start Wednesday at first base.
“His knee’s a little swollen — I don’t know, he tweaked it last night,” said Snitker, who didn’t know if Phillips did it on any particular play or swing in Tuesday’s 9-3 loss to the Angels. “I don’t think he felt anything until he woke up, it was a little tender. So, just going to try and stay away from him, check him again at Cincinnati.”
The Braves are off Thursday before a three-game series against the Reds starting Friday night at Cincinnati. Adams had started all 10 games since being traded to the Braves from St. Louis after first baseman Freddie Freeman fractured his left wrist. Adams had a .244 average, .262 on-base percentage and robust .512 slugging percentage since joining the Braves, with six extra-base hits (two home runs) among his 10 total hits.
Adams was 3-for-19 with a double, two RBIs and seven strikeouts in the first five games of a nine-game trip through Tuesday. He was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts and a defensive mistake Tuesday when he bobbled a ball and failed to throw to the plate or first base for a would-be out at either base in a nine-run third inning that sent the Angels to 9-3 win.
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