Waiting on a Zimmermann update (Alvarez named his All-Star replacement)

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals are optimistic that Jordan Zimmermann's injury is nothing serious.

Zimmermann has been through a serious elbow injury before, and he seems confident that this isn't a similar type of situation.

Still, until the MRI on Zimmermann's right arm comes back today, Nats fans have a right to be nervous.

The Nats hoped for the best with Wilson Ramos on opening day, when initial X-rays didn't show the broken hamate bone. It wasn't announced that Bryce Harper had torn a thumb ligament until tests had come back showing the damage.

Sometimes, the full damage isn't evident until a day afterward, once a battery of tests have been ordered and results looked at.

Zimmermann is arguably the most steady, consistent starter the Nationals have had these last few years.
He had really been starting to pitch well these last seven weeks, and was readying to pitch in the All-Star Game after sitting out the Midsummer Classic last year due to a neck injury.

In his seven starts prior to yesterday's outing, Zimmermann had surrendered just seven earned runs over 50 innings.

Now Zimmermann will head in for an MRI on his arm after another injury, and again it will cost him a chance to pitch in the All-Star Game.

The stakes are much bigger than just that, of course. The Nats want Zimmermann healthy for their final push toward the postseason in the second half. And Zimmermann desperately wants to be a part of that.

The All-Star Game is a luxury at this point. Having the 28-year-old right-hander available for big games down the stretch is much more important.

Today, Zimmermann and his team will wait anxiously for results of an MRI which will determine how things play out in the coming days and weeks.

Cross your fingers. Trust that Zimmermann has a good sense of his own health and can tell whether this is anything serious. And hope for the best.

Update: The league office has announced that Marlins righty Henderson Alvarez will replace Zimmermann on the NL All-Star roster. Unless there is a late change, the Nationals, a team tied for first place in the NL East, won't have a player participating in the Midsummer Classic. Doesn't seem right.