District Daily: Williams Anticipates Quick Recovery by Desmond, Taylor and Giolito to Represent Nats in Futures game
By Pablo Roa
Start of your weekend with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web:
Williams anticipates quick recovery by Desmond
PHILADELPHIA — Nationals manager Matt Williams said Ian Desmond’s right thumb was sore, but the skipper expressed hope that Desmond could play Saturday night against the Phillies.
Desmond hurt the thumb when facing Orioles right-hander Darren O’Day in the eighth inning Thursday night. With runners on first and second and two outs, Desmond worked the count to 2-2, then Day hit Desmond on the right thumb with a fastball. Desmond writhed in pain for a few seconds before he went to first base. Read full article here.
Futures Game to begin All-Star Week in Twin Cities
MINNEAPOLIS — It started back in 1999, when a skinny shortstop named Alfonso Soriano hit two home runs over the Green Monster at Fenway Park to put himself, as well as the Futures Game, on the map.
Since then, the opening event to All-Star Week has grown in stature and excitement, with hundreds of top prospects going from the game to eventually having big league careers. There is little question that the 16th edition of the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, taking place on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET as part of All-Star Sunday at Target Field, will provide the same boost for the future stars who will be on hand. Read full article here.
Zimmermann hopeful biceps cramp isn’t serious
(Mark Zuckerman, Comcast Sportsnet)
PHILADELPHIA — Jordan Zimmermann has made 132 starts in the big leagues, several of them as a rookie with a barking elbow that needed Tommy John surgery, but never before had he stood on the mound after throwing a pitch and motioned to the Nationals dugout that he needed to come out of a game.
So when that scene played out Friday night during the fourth inning of what would become a 6-2 loss to the Phillies, it was perfectly appropriate for anybody employed by or otherwise associated with the Nationals to drop everything for a moment and fear the worst.
By night’s end, when it was disclosed Zimmermann had suffered from cramping in his right biceps, there were more sighs of relief than calls for panic. But until the All-Star right-hander gets an MRI on Saturday to determine the full extent of the injury, no one will know for sure. Read full article here.