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Nationals Injury Updates: Ryan Zimmerman set to return to lineup Monday

Ryan Zimmerman banged up his side on a diving play in Friday afternoon's game against the St. Louis Cardinals, but it appears as if the 30-year-old Washington Nationals' first baseman avoided any serious injury.

By Patrick Reddington
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Zimmerman made an impressive diving play at first base in the first inning of Washington's Grapefruit League game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday afternoon.

Zimmerman walked in his one at bat, which came after the play, and then returned to his position in the top of the second, but he was replaced at first base by Mike Carp when the Nats took the field in the top of the third.

After the game, Nats' skipper Matt Williams told reporters that Zimmerman bruised his side when he dove.

"'He’s good,'" Williams said, as quoted by NatsInsider.com's Mark Zuckerman.

"'He’s played three in a row. He’s fine. He dove for that ball, banged himself a little bit. But he’s good. No worries.'"

"'If he had to play, he could play,'" Williams explained further. "'No issues.'"

Before Saturday afternoon's game against the New York Mets, the second-year manager provided an update on Zimmerman's status, telling reporters, including MASN's Chris Johnson that the Nats' first baseman was getting treatment on what was a planned off-day for the infielder.

"'He's going to go through treatment today. Today's his off day anyway. So we'll have a better sense after but talked to him this morning he said he's OK. He's feeling fine. Worst case scenario I think it's a couple of days but I think he'll be OK.'"

Zimmerman is, of course, coming off an injury-affected 2014 campaign in which he was able to play just 61 games, posting a .280/.342/.449 line with 19 doubles and five home runs in 240 plate appearances over which he was worth +1.2 fWAR.

The Nats' 30-year-old, '05 1st Round pick suffered a fractured right thumb diving back into second base on a pickoff attempt in Turner Field in mid-April, but returned to the lineup for 43 games between June 3rd and July 22nd before he suffered a Grade 3 hamstring strain running to first base in a game in Coors Field in Colorado.

Zimmerman returned in late September in a limited capacity. In the second postseason run of the 10-year veteran's time in D.C., he appeared only as a pinch hitter.

NatsInsider.com's Mark Zuckerman reported from Viera, Florida's Space Coast Stadium this morning that Zimmerman was back on the field after the latest injury scare in a Spring full of them for the Nationals:

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