Zimmermann named NL Pitcher of the Month

By Dan Kolko

Nationals

August 02, 2012, 2:30pm

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Despite battling some shoulder inflammation, which has made it tough for him to get loose before games, Jordan Zimmermann still pitched well enough in six July starts in order to earn National League Pitcher of the Month honors. Zimmermann becomes the third different Nationals starter to win the Pitcher of the Month award this season, joining Stephen Strasburg (April) and Gio Gonzalez (May). It's time for Edwin Jackson and Ross Detwiler to step it up, I guess. The three Nationals hurlers to win NL Pitcher of the Month is the most for one team since 1979, when Houston Astros pitchers Ken Forsch (April), Joe Niekro (May), Joaquin Andujar (June) and J.R. Richard (September) all won monthly honors. Zimmermann went 4-0 in July and led qualifying major league pitchers with a 0.97 ERA, allowing just four earned runs over 37.0 innings. He struck out 31, walked just four and allowed an opposing OPS of .499. As you're probably well-aware by now (because I've beaten this stat into the ground), Zimmermann has gone at least six innings in all 21 starts this season, and he currently has the third-best ERA in the majors.