The Washington Nationals have not had the most ideal start to their 2015 season after making huge upgrades in the offseason. The team fell in the series to the New York Mets and are continuing the same trend with the Philadelphia Phillies. Something is simply off in Washington and they must try and bounce back as Jordan Zimmermann takes the mound to face the Boston Red Sox.
Zimmermann is on the mound despite numerous trade rumors surrounding his name. According to the Washington Post, the Nationals are still open to dealing Zimmermann for the right price and there could be some interest in the coming weeks. Already, teams like the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers are dealing with injuries to their aces which could force Washington to make moves and get aggressive for shopping Zimmermann. However, for now he is focused on the series with the Boston Red Sox and getting a needed win.
Zimmermann shined in his debut for the season. The pitcher picked up right where he left off in 2014. He allowed just one earned run and five hits over six innings while looking confident and dominant in the effort. He held off the New York Mets is exceptional form and the Nationals need him to do the same against the Red Sox.
Boston is slowly looking like contenders as they continue to dominate in all areas on the field. Rick Porcello will look to keep momentum high as he takes the mound especially after inking a new contract with the team. Boston opted to re-sign Porcello to a four-year, $28.5 million contract that goes through 2019. It is a big contract that comes as a gamble, but the Nationals have liked what they see in Porcello and believe he can excel for the future. He struggled in his first start for Boston, but can improve against the Nationals and their inconsistent batting to start the year off.
