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Zimmermann gets nod vs O's: While the starter for Sunday afternoon's first-half finale is still TBD, Matt Williams did tell reporters that Washington right-hander Jordan Zimmermann will take the mound in Oriole Park at Camden Yards tomorrow night at 7:15, just one day after the 29-year-old starter and his wife welcomed a baby girl into the world.
Zimmermann will be making his 18th start of the so-called "first-half" of the 2015 campaign when he faces the O's, after having gone (7-5) so far this season with a 3.04 ERA, a 3.01 FIP, 20 walks (1.69 BB/9), 77 Ks (6.50 K/9) in 106 ⅔ IP in which he's held opposing hitters to a .266/.306/.345 line.
His last outing was a seven-inning start against the San Francisco Giants in which he gave up three hits, a walk and one earned run in what ended up a 3-1 win for the Nats.
In his last three trips to the mound, Zimmermann is (3-0) with a 0.40 ERA and a .183/.202/.232 line against in 22 ⅔ IP.
He'll get one more start in before the All-Star Break in the second game of three with the Orioles in OPACY:
RHP Jordan Zimmermann is expected to start for the #Nats tomorrow in Baltimore, per #Nats Manager Matt Williams.
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 10, 2015
Draft Signings: MLB.com's Jim Callis announced two more signings from the Nationals' 2015 Draft class today:
3rd-rder Rhett Wiseman's bonus from @Nationals = $554,100 (full 103 slot). Vanderbilt OF, avg tools across board, plus makeup. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 10, 2015
34th-rder Tyler Watson signs w/@Nationals for $400k ($300k vs pool). Arizona HS LHP, FB hits 91, curve shows promise as well. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 10, 2015
The Nationals have now signed their top 13 picks and 18 of their top 20...
Rumorville: CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman posted a list of what 23 potential buyers are looking for at the upcoming non-waiver trade deadline.
The Nationals were on the list, with Heyman writing that, "while they've taken a peek at a starter or two, it's quite likely that are looking more long-term," with both Zimmermann and Doug Fister headed for free agency after this season.
As ESPN's Jim Bowden too wrote recently, however, Heyman adds that the "pen is the main area of interest" along with "some added positional depth," which "couldn't hurt considering the injuries," the Nats have dealt with already this season.
The names on Heyman's list of potential targets? Ben Zobrist, Tyler Clippard, Jason Grilli and Joaquin Benoit.
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