Nats could start Ryan Zimmerman
With the Nationals’ season on the line, will Ryan Zimmerman be in the lineup Monday, or will he remain in a pinch-hitting role?
Washington manager Matt Williams said during Sunday’s interview session that Zimmerman, who is recovering from a torn hamstring, could be a consideration to start.
“We want to certainly look at those options,” Williams said.
Zimmerman, one of the Nationals’ top right-handed hitters, hasn’t played third base since returning from the disabled list, so he’d likely be at first base or in left field. That means he’d supplant either left-handed hitting Adam LaRoche or Bryce Harper, and both men have good numbers against Giants lefthander Madison Bumgarner.
LaRoche is 6-for-21 lifetime against Bumgarner (although he has struck out eight times). Harper is 3-for-9 with a homer.
Zimmerman has not had much success against Bumgarner, going 3-for-17, but he does have one of the Nationals’ three homers off the lefty. Span’s struggles: There is a slim chance Harper could move to center in place of Denard Span, who has had a rough series, going 0-for-11 with a walk; Span is 1-for-8 lifetime against Bumgarner.
Williams said that Span maybe has been a little impatient, but he suggested that even though Span is lefthanded, that might not keep him out of the lineup in Game 3.
“Potentially against a lefthander, sometimes lefty-lefty matchups get guys back on line a little bit,” Williams said, “So we'll see how the lineup shakes out, and if he's in there, hopefully that can get him back on line, and we hope ready for a Game 4 and beyond.”
Span, asked about how he’s swinging the bat this series, responded only, “I haven’t gotten a hit.”
He said he thinks he’s “geeked up, trying too hard. We all want to do well this time of year.”
As for the Nationals’ plight, down 2-0 in a best-of-five series, Span said Washington wants to win “desperately. … Nothing needs to be said. We all know what we need to do.” Briefly: The Nationals held an optional workout attended by most of the roster. … After 18 innings and a cross-country flight, Giants manager Bruce Bochy told his team to take the day off. ... Bochy said he would have used Santiago Casilla for another inning Saturday except that the pitcher’s spot in the lineup came up. …. Bochy said that had the Giants not taken the lead in the 18th, Tim Lincecum would have replaced Yusmeiro Petit. Instead, it was Hunter Strickland, who got the save. ... Gio Gonzalez, the likely Game 4 starter for Washington, threw a light bullpen session. … Jackie Greene, a musician who has played with the Black Crowes, among others, will perform the national anthem. Greene was born in Salinas and grew up in Sacramento.