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, MLB.com’s Bill Ladson gives us an update on the status of Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who has been out for six games with a left oblique injury. As Ladson writes in his article, it appears Zimmerman is making some progress with his recovery from the injury.
Zimmerman, who had been one of the Nationals’ best hitters in the weeks leading up to the injury, is doing abdominal and cardio exercises as he works his way back from the injury. At this point, as Ladson notes, Zimmerman can’t do anything that involves his oblique, which includes swinging a bat.
As the Nationals get deeper into September and farther from playoff contention, it’s becoming less likely that Zimmerman will play any significant role with the team for the remainder of the season. The Nationals are not likely to play in October, so it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if the team shut Zimmerman down for the rest of the season.
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That being said, Zimmerman could help the Nationals’ offense over the last couple of weeks if he is able to return from the injury soon. As noted earlier, Zimmerman was dominating before the oblique issue forced him to sit. After struggling for much of the season, Zimmerman was hitting .367 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs over his last 15 games.
Right now, however, the team’s top priority should be to ensure that Zimmerman is completely healthy before he returns. Realistically, Zimmerman will be much more important for the team in 2016 than he would be in the last week of September. While it would be great to see Zimmerman on the field before the season ends, the important thing is that Zimmerman is healthy and ready to go for Spring Training.
Also in today’s Daily, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post writes an interesting article in which Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth shares some candid remarks about the Nationals’ 2015 campaign.
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.
Zimmerman making progress from oblique injury
PHILADELPHIA — Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman was not in the lineup for the sixth consecutive game on Wednesday against the Phillies because of a left oblique injury. However, manager Matt Williams said Zimmerman is doing abdominal exercises, but can’t do anything with his oblique.
“He is doing some straight on [abdominal] work, some cardio to make sure that is not giving him an issue,” Williams said. “He still has some issues when he coughs or if he rotates. So, no swinging yet. He is trying everything he can to get back and get in the lineup for us.” Read full article here.
Werth: ‘I think at the end of the season we’ll look back and look at it as an opportunity wasted.’
(Chelsea Janes, Washington Post)
PHILADELPHIA — After the Nationals beat the Phillies, 8-7, in 11 innings Monday night, the visitor’s clubhouse was upbeat, exactly as one might expect it to be after a playoff contender won an extra-inning thriller in mid-September. Jayson Werth, who spent four years in the home clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park, sat in front of his locker as music blared and a few players hollered at their fantasy football players playing in “Monday Night Football.” None despaired their predicament, a day closer to elimination from playoff contention. Werth, for one, was reflective after hitting a grand slam and a solo home run. He compiled a five-RBI night in the victory, a highlight night in an injury-shortened season that might have had more nights like that had he been healthy for longer. Read full article here.
Next: Washington Nationals Rapid Reaction: Jayson Werth shows what he can do for the Nats