Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman will begin a rehab assignment on Thursday night with the Potomac Nationals and could be activated from the disabled list next week.
Zimmerman was placed on the disabled list on July 8 with a left rib cage strain and is expected to only need three games with Potomac, manager Dusty Baker said before the Nationals’ game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Baker said Zimmerman is expected to travel with the team next tuesday to Cleveland and could return to the lineup against the Indians. Zimmerman is hitting .221 this season with 12 home runs, 38 RBI and a .686 OPS.
Washington reliever Sammy Solis also could be nearing his return since being placed on the disabled list with knee soreness. Solis wasn’t available during the Nationals’ 18-inning loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates last Sunday.
Solis was placed on the DL retroactive to July 8 and would be eligible to return on Saturday.
“We’re really working it now, three, four hours a day of treatment,” Solis said. “It all depends how I’m feeling when the 15 days is up, we’ll see what they do.
“It was bothering me for a while, but it just came to a breaking point where I had to say something and the team shut me down. Could I have pitched? Maybe, but just being precautious, that kind of thing.”
• Anthony Gulizia can be reached at agulizia@washingtontimes.com.
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