Jordan Zimmermann set for first rehab start Saturday

Every Nationals fan will have their eyes glued to Stephen Strasburg’s start against the Mets on Saturday afternoon, but they’ll also be interested to hear how Jordan Zimmermann fares in his first major league rehab start with Single-A Potomac.

Zimmermann is currently working his way back from Tommy John surgery last August. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that the 24-year-old right-hander is slated to either two innings or 35 pitches.

“He’s been ahead of schedule, really, the whole time,” Rizzo said. “I’ve had to pull him back a little bit and pull the reins in a little bit, which makes him unhappy at times because he wants to go at 100 miles per hour all the time. But that’s a good thing. We’re satisfied with where he’s at, and we’re hoping there’s no hiccups or setbacks. If there’s not, we’ll expect to see him back here sometime in 2010.”

It could be sooner than you think. Kilgore writes that he could be back by the end of July.

Zimmermann was 3-5 with a 4.63 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 16 starts with the Nationals last season, posting an impressive 92/29 K/BB ratio over 91 1/3 innings as a rookie. Speaking nothing of my personal fandom, I’d like nothing more than to see him bounce back and be a fine No. 2 to Strasburg for years to come.