This could be the last time for Jordan Zimmermann

As the late, great poet James Douglas Morrison once wrote, "The future's uncertain and the end is always near."

Jordan Zimmermann takes the mound tonight in what might be his last home start in a Nationals uniform. The free agent-to-be is likely to sign elsewhere in the offseason after spending his entire professional career with the Nationals organization.

Selected in the second round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, Zimmermann made is major league debut two years later in a start at 22 against the Braves. It became the first of 70 wins for Zimmermann against just 48 losses over 176 career starts.

Zimmermann's rookie season ended prematurely when a torn ulnar collateral ligament resulted in Tommy John surgery. He returned in late August 2010 and made seven starts.

Fully healthy, Zimmermann posted a 3.18 ERA in 26 starts in 2011. A year later, he helped lead the Nationals to their first National League East championship with by going 12-8 with a sterling 2.94 ERA.

Zimmermann's rise continued as be went a combined 33-14 with a 2.96 ERA, resulting in All-Star appearances in 2013 and 2014. His show-stopping no-hitter culminated another division title season last year and the Nats will actually honor him with a bobblehead giveaway before tonight's game commemorating the feat.

Zimmermann has been inconsistent this year, going 13-8 with a 3.49 ERA. He has already allowed 21 homers in 31 starts, the most of any season in his seven-years in the big leagues.

If the Nationals don't re-sign Zimmermann, they could entertain a rotation which includes Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Tanner Roark and Joe Ross next season.

While still plenty formidable, rattling off a starting five without Zimmeramnn seems highly unusual.