Zimmerman hitting well during rehab stint

Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman played nine innings again Tuesday night in the high Single-A Potomac Nats' 8-5 loss at home to Myrtle Beach. It was the seventh game in this current rehab assignment for Zimmerman, who is recovering from plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

Zimmerman went 1-for-4 with a single, sac fly RBI and a run scored. He is hitting .375 (7-for-20) during this seven-game stretch. The Nats could activate the 34-year-old veteran this week or wait until Sunday, September 1, when rosters are expanded.

Asdrúbal Cabrera, Howie Kendrick and Matt Adams are all playing and hitting well for the Nats, who have won 12 of their last 15 games.

* Anthony Rendon was named National League Player of the Week for his impressive hitting display last week in games against the Pirates and the Cubs. Rendon hit .483 (14-for-29) with three doubles, two homers, seven RBIs, five walks, one stolen base and six runs scored for Washington as they went 5-1.

Manager Davey Martinez believes Rendon deserves attention for player of the year too.

"He's been unbelievable," the skipper said Tuesday before the Nats played the Orioles. "Talking about being consistent, he's been consistent all year. He's the guy that makes our lineup go and great job for him getting National League Player of the (Week) but I have said it before it's beyond that. I really believe that he should be considered MVP of our league, he's been that good."

* A bit surprising to see the Nationals get shut out by the Orioles 2-0 in the series opener, especially after averaging nearly 10 runs per game their last eight games. Martinez said he rewatches each game and will see what he finds after this one. Patrick Corbin did a nice job bouncing back after allowing two runs in the first frame, but seeing his club generate no runs and just four hits was tough to watch live the first time.

"It's not easy to flush, believe me I'll go home and watch the game, but Pat, other than the first inning was really good," Martinez said. "Their pitcher was good. We couldn't (get) nothing going and we got to come back tomorrow, play tomorrow and take care of tomorrow."

* Shortstop Adrián Sanchez, who has been up with the Nationals several times this season, singled early in Double-A Harrisburg's game Tuesday for minor league hit No. 1,000 of his career.

Adrian Sanchez's single last night in the first inning of game one was his 1000th career minor league hit...congrats Sanchie!!

-- Mick Reinhard (@Mayflies) August 28, 2019

Sanchez has 1,001 hits in 1,060 minor league games dating to 2007 with the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Nats. He added a double later in game one of a doubleheader, the 5-3 setback to Hartford. The 29-year-old has played in 88 major league games.