The Milwaukee Brewers have a comfortable 10-game lead in the NL Central and they're going to spend the final four weeks of the regular season preparing for the postseason. That includes giving shortstop and under-the-radar MVP candidate Willy Adames time to rest his achy quad. On Sunday, the Brewers placed Adames on the 10-day injured list with a left quad strain, the team announced.
Adames has been nursing the quad issue since mid=August and he recently spent three straight games out of the lineup without going on the injured list (and then spent the next two games at DH). He returned to the lineup Tuesday before reaggravating the injury Saturday. Specifically, Adames reaggravated the quad returning to first base on a pickoff throw in the fifth inning.
Since joining the Brewers in a May 21 trade with the Rays, Adames has simply been one of the most productive players in the league, hitting .294/.375/.529 with 17 home runs in 88 games while playing above-average defense at shortstop. He ranks 16th in the National League with 3.6 WAR despite spending close to two months in the American League.
Losing a player as productive as Adames is never good, though the Brewers are in position to weather the storm. They have that nice 10-game lead and four weeks to get Adames healthy before the postseason. As long he returns with a week or so to go in the regular season, Adames should have plenty of time to get his timing back at the plate.
In the interim the Brewers will use Luis Urías, who has quietly slugged 19 home runs this season, at shortstop. Kolten Wong and Eduardo Escobar will flank Urías at second and third bases, respectively (Wong is currently on the paternity list but will return soon). Utility man Tim Lopes was called up to replace Adames on the roster.
The Brewers are 83-54 and 3 1/2 games behind the Dodgers and Giants for the best record in the NL. Finishing with the league's best record is not out of the question, though Milwaukee seems destined to meet the NL East winner in the NLDS.