Washington @ Florida preview
Sun Life Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2010 ) Washington 9, Florida 3
Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg have a lot in common. On Tuesday, Zimmermann hopes to show Strasburg what he can expect in 2011.
Considered the Washington Nationals’ top pitching prospect until Strasburg was drafted in 2009, Zimmermann (0-0, 11.29 ERA) makes his second start of the season against the fading Florida Marlins on Tuesday.
The Nationals are seeking to win their first series on the road since early May.
Zimmermann reached the major leagues last season at the age of 23 and fared well in 16 starts, going 3-5 with a 4.63 ERA. He also issued only 29 walks with 92 strikeouts in 91 1/3 innings.
Decent numbers to be certain, but the power right-hander was felled by an elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery on Aug. 19, 2009.
The 22-year-old Strasburg was off to a fantastic start in 2010, striking out 14 Pittsburgh Pirates in his June debut, and he was 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 12 starts before succumbing to an elbow injury that will also require Tommy John surgery.
Washington can only hope Strasburg comes back just as quickly.
Zimmermann made 10 rehab appearances starting in July and yielded just one earned run over his last 34 2/3 frames before getting summoned to Washington on Thursday – just over one year after his surgery - to start against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The 2007 second-round pick showed his rust as he was reached for five runs and seven hits in just four frames in a no-decision.
Washington snapped a five-game losing streak to Florida on Monday and tied its season high with a third straight victory in the 9-3 triumph. Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn each hit three-run homers and Jason Marquis picked up his first win of the season after losing a club-record seven starts to begin his campaign.
A win Tuesday or Wednesday would snap the Nationals’ streak of 17 consecutive non-winning road series (0-14-2).
Anibal Sanchez (11-8, 3.29 ERA) will try to stop the bleeding for the Marlins, who blew a five-run lead to the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves on Sunday that seemed to carry over against the Nationals.
Florida was hoping to beat up on Washington this week before playing its next seven games against Atlanta and the Philadelphia Phillies. However, the Marlins have dropped three straight and fallen 10 1/2 games back of the Braves in the NL East and remain 7 1/2 back of the Phillies in the race for the wild card.
Sanchez labored last Thursday against the New York Mets, allowing four runs and nine hits over five innings, but picked up the 11-4 victory. The 26-year-old right-hander is 4-2 with a 2.36 ERA in his last six outings and is 4-0 during his career against Washington.