Ryan Zimmerman's 2012 season can be split into two halves. Before Cortisone and After Cortisone. Before the 27-year-old third baseman had a cortisone shot that took on June 24th 2012, the Nats' '05 1st Round pick had a .218/.285/.305 line with 10 doubles and three home runs in 55 games and 242 PAs as he struggled with what was diagnosed as inflammation in the AC joint of his right shoulder which slowed his bat and sapped him of power. After the hard-hitting third baseman had the shot before the 6/24 game against the Baltimore Orioles, Zimmerman went out and had a 2 for 4 game that day and over the next 75 games, Zimmerman posted a .332/.396/.598 line with 21 doubles and 19 HRs in 338 PAs.

"The doc was here today," Zimmerman told reporters on 6/24 in explaining the decision to go ahead with another shot to alleviate some of the inflammation, "... and we just decided that's going to give me the best chance to continue to play and not have to miss any time and it's not going to do anything to further injure my shoulder or anything like that so there's no risk and it just took some of that pain and that pressure away that's been bugging me for the past however long and hopefully we won't have to do it again, but if we do it was kind of a test trial and it worked okay."

Zimmerman also acknowledged at the time that it wasn't a permanent fix, but more a solution to keep him on the field this season.

"'If it continues to do this every few weeks,'" Zimmerman told reporters including the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore, at the time, referring to the pain and inflammation flaring up, "at the end of the year they can go in there and take the little chips out."

According to reports out of Nationals Park today before the Nats start a doubleheader with the Dodgers, the Nats' third baseman received another cortisone shot in his shoulder:

Another cortisone shot for Zimmerman today, Davey says. Also says arthroscopic surgery in offseason is distinct possibility.

— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) September 19, 2012

On Ryan Zimmerman, Davey said it's not nearly as bad w/his shoulder as it was but he felt it acting up a little. Trying to stay ahead of it.

— Amanda Comak (@acomak) September 19, 2012

Zimmerman's hit in 17 of his last 19 games, posting a .304/.349/.595 line with three doubles, a triple and six home runs over that stretch. On the year, the eight-year veteran now has a .284/.350/.474 line with 31 doubles and 22 HRs in 130 games and 580 PAs. He may be headed for postseason surgery after the season ends, but he apparently intends on taking part in his first postseason first... if the Nationals can clinch a playoff spot. #nojinx