This weekend was not very good for the Nats, and not just because they lost. Jordan Zimmermann now has 5 starts in the majors this season, only one can be considered truly good. It was way back on August 31st, when he allowed 1 ER and struck out 9 in 6 IP. Since then, he’s only been past the third inning one out of three times, and has given up a total 10 ER.
It hasn’t been pretty, and there are no excuses to be made for him. The control is usually what takes the longest to return after Tommy John, and he doesn’t look like a strong control pitcher out there. In his last 3, he’s walked 8 and struck out 6. He’s also given up 5 HRs in those 10 innings.
Yunesky Maya has yet to turn in a quality start, but this weekend he looked a bit better. He gave up 2 runs in the 4th, and left in the 5th with a runner on, who ended up scoring. The 2 run 4th inning was tough to call a meltdown, he gave up three straight hits but one was a grounder that found the hole. Of course, giving up a long double to Brian Schneider is not impressive. But he got out of it without spiraling out of control and continues to build.
Ross Detwiler will be given a chance to start this week, thanks to a temporary six man rotation, and the Nats could use some good news with him. Jordan has been lost, Maya isn’t anything special so far, and Strasburg is out for quite a while. It would be awfully kind of Detwiler to turn in a dominant start, if for no other reason than to get everyone excited for something.
I can’t help but going back to Jordan Zimmermann, though. He needs to figure out what’s going on and get something going. If he can’t be the pitcher we had all hoped (and his 8/31 start makes me think he can), that’s another gaping hole that needs to be filled.
And if you’re looking for one bright spot, at least Livan Hernandez is going tonight. I’m still rooting for him to pull into 2nd place all time on the Nats’ pitcher WAR leaderboard for a single season.