Zimmerman patiently waiting to return to Nationals amid 'brutal' DL stint
Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is sidelined from baseball, and just about everything else, as tries to recover from plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Since the ailment is usually rehabbed with a conservative treatment that mostly includes rest, Zimmerman has mainly been sedentary since being placed on the disabled list on June 11.
"Just kind of hang out and do nothing," Zimmerman said in his first comments since being placed on the DL. "It's pretty brutal, actually. I just gotta rest it and let it heal. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later."
While he continues to rely on the healing process, the 30-year-old first baseman isn't exactly sure when he'll be able to return healthy to the Nationals.
"I've never had to deal with it. You just rest and let it heal," he said.
Zimmerman, a .282 career hitter, was hitting just .209 in 56 games this season before being placed on the DL.
Although he's not sure how the plantar fasciitis affected his hitting, he's confident the injury won't bog him down after it's fully healed.
"Usually, once you do something to it or whether you tear it all the way or tear it a little bit, it kind of helps relieve the pain,” Zimmerman said. "Some people years down the road will tear it completely. Tearing at this point is kind of a good thing. I mean, it's never good, but it relieves the pain. Then you just have to wait for it to heal."
(h/t Washington Post)
