While on the disabled list with a fractured right thumb Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman has been taking fly balls in left field for a while now because he wasn’t cleared to throw or hit yet, but yesterday he finally got the go-ahead to swing a bat.
Zimmerman, who’s seven weeks into what was supposed to be a 4-6 week recovery, will soon begin taking swings in a batting cage and off a tee. In other words, he’s still not close to actually rejoining the Nationals’ lineup.
In fact, Nationals manager Matt Williams told Chase Hughes of CSNWashington.com that there’s still no official timetable yet for Zimmerman’s return and “we’re going to take it a little slow with the bat because vibration can certainly cause pain, let alone any further damage.”
Toss in Zimmerman’s chronic shoulder problems complicating any potential throwing programs and his overall health remains a big question mark.
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