Washington Nationals News: Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth emerging in Nats’ lineup
By Pablo Roa
Good evening DoD readers, and welcome to today’s District Daily. Get caught up on the latest Nats news and opinions with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web below.
In today’s Daily, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post discusses Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth. As Janes notes, both Zimmerman and Werth finally appear to be seeing some success at the plate and producing in the middle of the Nationals’ order.
Zimmerman and Werth were on the disabled list for a large portion of the season and struggled mightily once they returned to the Nationals’ lineup. Recently, however, both players—especially Zimmerman—appear to be getting their timing down and putting together good at-bats at the plate.
Over his last seven games, Zimmerman is slashing .429/.500/1.000 and has hit three home runs—two of which came in yesterday’s game against the Rockies. Zimmerman has also walked four times and logged nine RBIs over that span. While nowhere near as dominant as Zimmerman, Werth has also looked better of late. The 36-year-old outfielder went 2-4 in yesterday’s game against the Rockies, belting a home run and a hard-hit line drive single in consecutive at-bats.
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While Werth still needs time to get back to or at least close to mid-season form, the fact that both he and Zimmerman are finally turning into productive parts of the lineup is great news for the Nationals. After both players either struggled or were injured for most of the season, the Nationals’ offense has essentially been without Zimmerman or Werth all year long. But if both players can lock it in and get hot down the stretch, the Nationals’ struggling lineup will suddenly become much better for the all-important stretch run and, hopefully, for the postseason.
Also in today’s Daily, Janes discusses the importance of the Nationals’ upcoming West Coast road trip, which begins tonight in Los Angeles. With the Nationals sitting 1.5 games out of first place in the NL East and facing two teams—the Dodgers and the Giants—which have always been a challenge for them, this road trip could play a major role in determining whether or not the Nationals make the playoffs this year.
Be sure to check out both articles below, they’re definitely worth a read. And as always, stay tuned to DoD for all your Washington Nationals needs.
Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth emerging in the middle of the Nationals order
(Chelsea Janes, Washington Post)
Remember Ryan Zimmerman? The franchise stalwart the Washington Nationals gave an 11-year deal to remain so in near-perpetuity? The heart-of-the-order, center-of-the-clubhouse player who holds nearly every Nationals offensive record?
A giant poster of him celebrating one of his 10 career walkoff home runs greets entrants outside the home plate gate to Nationals Park. An oversized portrait hangs on the parking garage outside the park, just beyond center field. But over two injury-riddled seasons, he all but disappeared, those likenesses the only daily reminders of the offensive consistency that earned him that 11-year deal to spend a career in the District. Read full article here.
Even-keeled Nationals admit they have ‘big road trip’ ahead
(Chelsea Janes, Washington Post)
These Nationals try with all their might not to assign more weight to one game than another or to one series than another, for better or worse. After wins and losses they “look to tomorrow,” as Nationals Manager Matt Williams says after nearly every game. It’s all they can do, he explained heatedly Sunday. Move forward, one day at a time.
But in the case of Sunday’s 6-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies, “tomorrow” would come 3,000 miles away, in Los Angeles, where the Nationals begin a 11-game, three-city road trip this week. They’ll face the Dodgers’ two-headed monster, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. Then they’ll face last year’s World Series champion San Francisco Giants. Then comes Denver, and this weekend, the Rockies looked plenty formidable, too. Read full article here.
Next: Washington Nationals Series Preview: Nats at Dodgers