
Jordan Zimmermann, 2014
Stats: 32 games (32 starts), 199.2 innings pitched, 14-5 record, 2.66 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 1.072 WHIP, 182 strikeouts, 29 walks, 13 home runs, and an opponent’s slash line of .244/.277/.354
Awards: All-Star, 5th in Cy Young voting
"“I was just trying to keep it all in. I knew I was getting close. Obviously with the fans going crazy, you can definitely notice you’re getting close to the end.” – Jordan Zimmermann on his no-hitter in the final game of the regular season, 2014 (h/t Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post)"
When the quiet Auburndale, Wisconsin, native took the mound for the Washington Nationals, he never commanded much of a presence. As quiet and emotionless as Jordan Zimmermann was, he was able to do some spectacular things during his seven-year tenure in the nation’s capital. In 2014, Zimmermann had the best season of his career, leading a pitching staff that saw three different starters earn a spot in the top ten of Cy Young voting.
He tossed three complete games, including the first no-hitter in Nationals history in the last game of the season. While Zimmermann didn’t post the gaudiest strikeout numbers the team has ever seen, his ability to ability to keep balls in the strike zone was unmatched.
His 1.31 BB/9 was not only the lowest mark in the Senior Circuit, but the lowest in the entire franchise’s history. Not to be forgotten is Zimmermann’s stellar postseason start in Game 2 of the NLDS, where he pitched 8.2 innings and gave up only one run on three hits. He may be pitching in Detroit now, but Washington Nationals fans will always have a special place in their hearts for J-Zimm.