Tag Archives: Jordan Zimmermann

Pitching matchup – game 158

Posted on by
Reply

With just five games left in the regular season, the National League East remains the only division in the league without a clear-cut winner – odd when you consider the fact that the team leading the division is also tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the best record in baseball. But after an Atlanta Braves loss to the New York Mets, which came on a three-run home run from Mets outfielder Lucas Duda, the Washington Nationals’ (95-62) magic number finally fell to two.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals (85-72), who are fighting for the league’s second Wild Card, are looking for some combination of three wins or Los Angeles Dodgers losses to reach a one-game playoff with the Braves.

Both teams hope to take one step closer to clinching their respective playoff spots tonight in the second of a three-game series that will pit Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann against Cardinals right-hander Kyle Lohse in a rematch of their September 1 meeting. Continue reading →

Nationals-Dodgers doubleheader preview

Posted on by
Reply

After being swept in a three-game weekend series by the second-place Atlanta Braves, the Washington Nationals, now 89-57, have had plenty of time to regroup following a scheduled day off on Monday and the postponement of last night’s series opener with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who bring a record of 76-71 to Nationals Park. For those who have yet to hear, last night’s game will be made up this afternoon as part of a single-admission doubleheader that is scheduled to begin at 4:05 p.m.

The good news for the Nationals is that their magic number for clinching the National League East, which had remained stagnant since September 12, finally ticked down a notch with the Braves’ extra-innings loss to the Miami Marlins last night. As for their magic number to clinch an NL Wild Card, that number still sits at three. It could, however, vanish altogether with a sweep of the Dodgers in this afternoon’s doubleheader and would mark the first playoff berth for a D.C. baseball team since the 1933 Washington Senators.

Nationals manager Davey Johnson, however, will not be celebrating a Wild Card.

“The additional Wild Card, to me, just really put more of a burden on the manager, because nobody wants that one,” Johnson said. “A one-game playoff to get in? The other format, if you were the Wild Card, you’re in the playoffs. So clinching a one-game playoff doesn’t have any appeal to me.”

As such, one can assume that the Nationals will still be looking to take both games of the doubleheader, but only to put as much distance between themselves and the Braves as possible in an effort to ensure a division crown. To do so, they will have to best Dodgers right-hander Aaron Harang, who will be opposed by Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann in game one of the doubleheader. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 142

Posted on by
Reply

Tonight, the Washington Nationals (87-54) and the New York Mets (65-76) – the two teams that represent the cities most affected by the tragedies that befell our nation 11 years ago – will meet in the second of a three-game series that somehow seems appropriate. The Nationals will wear their patriotic stars and stripes uniforms for the first time on the road tonight in honor of those who lost their lives in the attacks.

The game comes on the heels of Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez‘s 19th win of the season. And after 19 wins, Gonzalez is still unwilling to accept praise for his accomplishments. Now, after having eliminated the Mets from playoff contention, the Nationals will send right-hander Jordan Zimmermann to the mound in hopes of nailing down another series win. He will be opposed by 18-game winner R.A. Dickey, the man standing in the way of Gonzalez’s first Cy Young Award. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 137

Posted on by
Reply

For the second time in as many nights, the Washington Nationals (84-52) hit six home runs, securing their place alongside the 1996 Los Angeles Dodgers and the 2003 Anaheim Angels as the only teams to accomplish such a feat. It also placed them in a position to try for a four-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs (51-85) tonight at Nationals Park. If the Nationals, who have outscored the Cubs in the series by a margin of 22-7, hope to sweep the series, they will have to beat right-handed veteran Justin Germano. The Nationals will send right-hander Jordan Zimmermann to the mound, who hopes to not only shed himself of a nearly month-long slump, but also beat the Cubs for the first time in his career. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 132

Posted on by
Reply

It may have taken him 119 pitches to do so, but Washington Nationals (80-51) lefty Gio Gonzalez netted a career-high 17th win last night, which came on his first career shutout. The nine-inning effort saw Gonzalez allow just five hits and three walks while striking out eight. His stuff? Electric – and the St. Louis Cardinals (71-61) were not afraid to admit it.

“There’s a reason he’s so dominant,” Cardinals second baseman Skip Shumaker said. “He throws 96 [mph] with a really good curveball. He’s really good.”

This afternoon, a dormant Cardinals offense that has scored only one run through their last 39 innings will attempt to back right-hander Kyle Lohse and avoid falling victim to a five-game skid. The Nationals will send a struggling Jordan Zimmermann to the mound to try and extend a three-game winning streak. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 127

Posted on by
Reply

After dropping the first two of a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies (60-67), the Washington Nationals (77-49) look to put an end to their first three-game skid since July 19-21. They will also be looking to avoid being swept for the fourth time this season and will do so without All-Star shortstop Ian Desmond and outfielder Michael Morse, both of whom are once again out of the lineup. If the Nationals hope to salvage this afternoon’s finale, they will need a strong showing from right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, who will take the mound opposite Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee. Continue reading →

Zimmermann’s excitement proves too much

Posted on by
Reply

On the heels of a start that saw the underrated right-hander toss just 5 2/3 innings, one of his shortest outings of the season so far, Jordan Zimmermann was primed to start one of the most important games of his fledgling career. For Zimmermann and his teammates, the game was to be the first true test of their youthful lineup’s ability to perform in a pennant race down the stretch.

Anyone who watched or read about the first of the three-game series that is currently taking place in D.C. between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals already knows how Zimmermann fared. His words, however, hold more weight than any that I could possibly muster, so it is he that should do the talking.

“I was terrible,” Zimmermann said. Continue reading →

Pitching matchup – game 122

Posted on by
Reply

Fresh off of a series win against the New York Mets, the Washington Nationals (75-46) will host a three-game set with the Atlanta Braves (70-51), a series that will prove vital in the National League East pennant race. For the Braves, who currently sit five games behind the Nationals, the series represents one of their last opportunities to gain ground on the Nationals. On the other hand, this series presents a valuable opportunity for the Nationals to bury their only real competition for the division crown. The first of the final six games remaining between the two teams takes place tonight, when the Braves send veteran right-hander Tim Hudson to the mound opposite the Nationals’ under-the-radar ace, Jordan Zimmermann. Continue reading →

Giolito to visit with Dr. Yocum

Posted on by
1

When a 6-foot-6, 230-pound right hander who is capable of pairing a 100 mph fastball with a drop-off-the-table curveball is available in the MLB First Year Player’s Draft, you draft him.

Unsurprisingly, that is exactly what the Washington Nationals and general manager Mike Rizzo did when they drafted then 17-year-old pitcher Lucas Giolito 16th overall out of Harvard-Westlake School in June.

Lucas Giolito

CSNWashington.com

What is surprising, however, is the fact that the highly touted prospect, who was originally expected to be a top pick in the draft, was even available to the Nationals so late in the draft. He had been passed over by 15 other teams before falling to the Nationals, presumably because he suffered a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow, which brought about a premature end to his senior season at Harvard-Westlake. Rizzo and company were unperturbed by the injury. Perhaps they should have been at least a bit worried. Continue reading →

Nationals notes

Posted on by
3

Twelve wins in 14 tries was just not in the cards for the Washington Nationals, who dropped the second of a three-game series last night to young right-hander Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants, bringing their road trip record to 7-2 before this afternoon’s finale. Nationals’ starter Jordan Zimmermann, arguably the team’s strongest pitcher this season, lasted just 5.2 innings after giving up two runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out four. He appeared to have trouble locating his pitches and was unable to get decent movement on a slider that opposing hitters refused to chase. No matter, as Bumgarner was nearly untouchable, tossing his second complete game of the season and yielding a single run on five hits and a walk while striking out five for his 13th win.

The Nationals will have to put the loss behind them as they send Stephen Strasburg to the mound this afternoon and look to take the rubber match of the series before heading to Washington for a six-game home stand. Until then, here are a few of the many exciting stories that broke yesterday – starting with the biggest news. Continue reading →