Daily Notes | Ryan Zimmerman Back to Old Form

Apparently all that Ryan Zimmerman needed was a cortisone shot. After slumping through a 5 for 48 stretch earlier this month, he has busted out the last three days with a 6 for 13 stretch that includes three extra base hits since getting a cortisone shot for his shoulder. Zimmerman elaborated in the story by The Washington Post that all his problems this season have been physical and lately he has the strength to play the game at the level he's capable of playing it at. I'm not as easily sold after such a long slump, but this is one of those 27-year-old players that has always been good and has for no good reason been bad this year. Perhaps a cortisone shot is exactly what was missing. Here are some other notes from last night:

• Brandon Beachy had been pitching hurt for months or possibly years according to doctors. Pretty good given his 2.00 ERA when he went down. Fredi Gonzalez believes that 10 to 11 months from now we will see Beachy next. 
• If that's the case with Beachy, then the way that Daniel Hudson felt yesterday against the Braves is terrible news for the Diamondbacks. Hudson will be placed on the DL and given that he claims his elbow has bothered him for a few starts, he could be the next pitcher set to go under the knife. That gives Trevor Bauer some security in the Diamondbacks rotation from here on out and could even send Tyler Skaggs up from Double-A. 
• Also in the linked story above, Stephen Drew will be coming off the DL for the DBacks tomorrow. 
• Chase Utley will be hitting third for the Phillies this evening. 
• The Astros are going to go with a 6-man rotation from now until the All-Star break (Dallas Keuchel stays in while Bud Norris comes off the DL). They do not have any off days between now and then, so the plan has some merit.
• Ryan Vogelsong has been the Giants most consistent starter (yes including Matt Cain) this season. In 14 starts, Vogelsong has pitched at least 6 innings. Over his last 10 starts, Vogelsong has pitched at least 7 innings 9 times. He has failed to record a quality start only once in his 14 starts and for that you would have to go all the way back to April. 
• Chris Carpenter claims his shoulder feels a little stronger two days after he needed to be scratched from throwing.
• Anthony Rizzo hit third in his debut and added two hits including an RBI double that put the Cubs ahead in the 4th inning. 
• The Braves were watching Francisco Liriano in his most recent start. 
• Aroldis Chapman did two somersaults after getting the save last night. It didn't please Dusty Baker. 
• Dustin Pedroia claims his thumb feels normal again. 
• Jacoby Ellsbury is heading to Fort Myers for a rehab assignment and it sounds as if he's going to be back before Carl Crawford because Ellsbury had at-bats in March and April. 
• Ken Rosenthal reports that the Brewers will likely trade Zack Greinke if they cannot sign him to a long term contract before the trade deadline. Greinke should get a deal close to what Matt Cain got (6 years, $127 million).