X-ray shows Zim's thumb not fully healed

WASHINGTON -- Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman had an X-ray on his fractured right thumb Monday, and the results revealed the thumb is healing slowly. Zimmerman will next see an occupational therapist to get a splint on the thumb that will allow him to begin exercising his right arm.

"It's not really throwing. It puts his thumb in a position where he can start working his arm, which is good," manager Matt Williams said. "It's what he needs to do. [The thumb] is not fully healed, so [the doctors] are cautious."

Asked if Zimmerman's injury wasn't healing as quickly as the Nationals expected, Williams said, "It's hard to say. Everybody is different. Everybody heals differently. It was an interesting fracture. It wasn't just a crack straight across. It was kind of like a Y. So there are multiple things that have to heal there. Yeah, we would like it to go faster, but it is what it is."

Williams declined to give a timetable on when Zimmerman will return to the lineup. It takes four to six weeks to heal the bone, he said. It's been five weeks since Zimmerman fractured the thumb on April 13 against the Braves. Zimmerman can start his throwing motion, but he has not been cleared to swing a bat.

"It's fairly typical, and given the nature of the fracture, it probably more typical than anything else," Williams said.