District Daily: Gio Slated for Second Rehab Outing, Zimmerman Impressing in Outfield
By Pablo Roa
May 28, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals head athletic trainer Lee Kuntz speaks with starting pitcher
Gio Gonzalez(47) prior to the game against the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Check out some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web:
Gio slated for second rehab outing, could return soon
SAN FRANCISCO — Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez, on the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation, will pitch in his second rehab game for Class A Advanced Potomac on Thursday. Manager Matt Williams said that if things go well, Gonzalez will be back with the Major League team next week.
In his last start for Potomac, Gonzalez was hit hard, allowing eight runs in 3 2/3 innings, and the Nationals declined to bring him back to the big leagues. Read full article here.
Zimmerman impressing in outfield play
SAN FRANCISCO — Nationals outfielder Ryan Zimmerman is doing better in the outfield than any baseball expert thought. He has been catching balls in the gap and has made some nice running plays while running in on the ball. Manager Matt Williams has been impressed by what he has seen from Zimmerman so far.
“He has gone to each gap. He has gone down the line. He is coming in on line drives right at him. He has fielded everything cleanly with ease. That part of it has been a pleasant surprise,” Williams said. “He seems to be enjoying it.” Read full article here.
Nationals showing baseball what they’re made of
Maybe the Nationals are going to end up being exactly who we thought they were. That would be a team with virtually no serious flaw, a team capable of playing deep into October.
At the moment, that’s exactly what they are. Their starting pitching is the best in baseball. Their bullpen has a 2.20 ERA, which is No. 1 by a wide margin. Even at 34-29, the Nats have a plus-46 run differential, third best in baseball behind only the A’s (plus-124) and Giants (plus-57).
Offensively, the Nationals are a different team with Ryan Zimmerman back in the lineup. They are 12-5 and scoring 6.2 runs per game when he’s in the starting lineup. During Zimmerman’s 46 games on the DL, they were 22-24 and scoring 3.5 runs per game. Read full article here.