Zimmerman slated to debut early next week

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals are fielding a fairly representative lineup for tonight's Grapefruit League opener, with Adam Eaton, Howie Kendrick, Juan Soto, Anthony Rendon, Matt Adams and Yan Gomes among the guys starting against the Astros. Those regulars who aren't playing tonight will be seeing action within a matter of days, and that includes the guy who sat out most of spring training last year.

Ryan Zimmerman is slated to make his 2019 debut early next week, according to manager Davey Martinez, who has mapped out a schedule with the veteran first baseman that includes a significant amount of playing time this spring.

"We have a plan. And actually, he's going to play in February," Martinez said. "So that's good news. He feels good. We want to just keep him there. But he needs to play. And I told him he needs to play the field. That's part of it. And he's on board."

Zimmerman, who notoriously appeared in only one Grapefruit League game last spring and instead got almost all of his work on back fields in minor league games, said when camp opened he supported Martinez's plan.

"There's no reason to come out and play 20 nine-inning games down here. That's detrimental. I don't think that helps anybody," the 34-year-old said. "But to be able to go through the whole process, start the game, get out there, even if it's only four or five innings, you're on your feet, getting your legs and your body ready for every pitch, running to first base when there's ground balls. Yeah, I think that makes a difference."

The Nationals are on the road the next two days, facing the Cardinals in nearby Jupiter on Sunday and the Braves in faraway Lake Buena Vista on Monday. They'll return home Tuesday and Wednesday to play the Cardinals and Astros, so that seems a probable target for Zimmerman to debut.

Erick Fedde will start Sunday's game, and with Joe Ross coming out of the bullpen tonight following Max Scherzer the Nats will get an early look at both of their young rotation candidates. If the five veterans stay healthy, there likely won't be a spot for either Ross or Fedde on opening day, but both right-handers will be stretched out this spring as starters, and Martinez has suggested both would start at Triple-A Fresno rather than pitch out of the big league bullpen.

That's especially true for Ross, who having now made his full return from Tommy John surgery is being counted on to return to the form he displayed as a starter before suffering his injury in 2017.

"Right now, our focus is to let him compete for the fifth starter's spot and then we'll go from there," Martinez said. "We'll see what happens. But if he's healthy, he's started before and he's had a little success. So we're hoping he can do it again."

The Nationals will be monitoring Ross' workload throughout the season. He has totaled only 116 innings the last two seasons combined, so the organization will set a limit for him in 2019 and stick to it as it has done with other pitchers returning from Tommy John surgery.

"We've got to make sure we keep an eye on his innings," Martinez said. "I don't know where we're going to put him at, but last year he only threw (42 1/3) innings after coming back. So we have to make sure we limit him. ... We're going to come up with a number."