Zimmermann Remains Reliable Starter for Nationals

Zimmermann limited Milwaukee to one run and four hits with seven strikeouts

Gio Gonzalez, Major League Baseball’s only 20-game winner so far in 2012, is a key reason why the Washington Nationals feel confident about their post-season aspirations, even without the shut down Stephen Strasburg. The second part of Washington’s revised 1-2 punch atop the rotation continues to deliver as well.

In August, Baseball News Source wrote about Jordan Zimmermann emerging as an unlikely National League Cy Young Award candidate. While the 26-year-old right-hander’s record does not reflect a Cy Young-caliber season, his stat line does indicate a reliable starter who the Nationals can rely upon in October.

On Monday, Zimmermann limited Milwaukee to one run and four hits with seven strikeouts and two walks over 6.1 innings as Washington routed the Brewers, 12-2, and reduced its magic number to five to capture the National League East title.

A second round pick out of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2007 who is three years removed from Tommy John surgery, Zimmermann is 12-8 with a 2.90 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP and a .250 opponent’s batting average in 31 starts. Over 189.1 innings, he has allowed 179 hits and walked just 41 batters.

In his last four outings, Zimmermann has allowed two runs twice and one run each in his last two outings after serving up eight runs in a September 1 start against St. Louis.

With Gonzalez, Zimmermann, Edwin Jackson and Ross Detwiler, the Nationals appear to have the depth to match-up with National League opponents in October. Gonzalez and Zimmermann give Washington the much-needed go-to arms atop the rotation.