Washington Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann named National League All-star

Washington Nationals right-handed starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann today was named a National League All-Star by Cardinals field manager Mike Matheny and Major League Baseball. The 85th Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be held at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn. on Tuesday, July 15.

The All-Star invitation is the second of Zimmermann's career. He represented the Nationals at the 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field, but did not pitch in the American League's 3-0 victory.

After working 6.0 scoreless innings earlier today against the Cubs and departing in line for the win, Zimmermann is currently 6-4 with a 2.79 ERA (10th in National League) in 18 starts.

In seven starts dating to June 1, Zimmermann has registered three wins and a stingy 1.26 ERA. In the midst of that span, Zimmermann tossed 17.0 scoreless innings (7 hits, one walk, 16 strikeouts) en route to two wins and was named NL Pitcher of the Week on June 9. By month's end, his 1.43 ERA was the second-best recorded by a National in the month of June.  

Zimmermann, with 49 career wins, is the winningest pitcher in Nationals history. He climbed past Livan Hernandez to claim the top spot by pocketing the win on April 30 at Houston.

Selected (second round, 2007 First-Year Player Draft, Division III University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point) with a compensation pick gained when Alfonso Soriano signed as a free agent with the Cubs, Zimmermann became the Nationals' sixth homegrown All-Star in 2013, joining Bryce Harper (2012, '13), Stephen Strasburg ('12), Ian Desmond ('12), Ryan Zimmerman ('09) and Chad Cordero ('05). By season's end, his 19 wins matched Adam Wainwright for the NL lead.

Since returning from August '09 "Tommy John" ligament-replacement surgery, the 28 year-old Zimmermann is 46-34 with a 3.15 ERA in 115 starts. When starting, Washington's record in these post-"Tommy John" assignments is 70-45 (.609).

Rendon, 24, is hitting .282 (94-for-333) with 21 doubles, five triples, a career-high 12 home runs and 50 RBI in 83 games. Rendon has excelled offensively -- he ranks among the NL's top 10 in runs (60), triples (5), RBI (50) and extra-base hits -- despite shuttling defensively between third base (65 starts) and second base (17 starts) for Matt Williams.

Rendon was the Nationals' top selection (sixth overall) in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Rice University.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS - NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STARS (2005 - PRESENT)

* - denotes NL All-Star starter