Woodbridge, VA---The Washington Nationals have assigned 1B Ryan Zimmerman to the Potomac Nationals to begin a rehabilitation assignment. The right-handed hitting first baseman will join the P-Nats Thursday night for the homestand opener at Pfitzner Stadium, as the P-Nats host the Winston-Salem Dash at 7:05pm.

The Nationals' first baseman was placed on the 15-day DL on July 8th, retroactive to July 7th with a left rib cage strain. Zimmerman will begin his rehab assignment with Potomac on Thursday night.

The 31-year-old Zimmerman has 12 home runs and 38 RBIs through 74 games with Washington this season. Zimmerman, the fourth overall selection in the 2005 MLB Draft out of the University of Virginia, has played his entire career in the Washington system.

Zimmerman made his debut with the Nationals on September 1st, 2005, just months after he was drafted. Through 12 seasons with Washington, Zimmerman has hit 212 home runs, driven in 821 runs, and has 333 doubles. A career .280 hitter, the first baseman was an All-Star in 2009 and played in the postseason for the Nationals in 2012 and 2014. Zimmerman finished second in the "Rookie of the Year" voting in 2006.

2016 will mark the fifth different year that Zimmerman has rehabbed with the P-Nats, as he played two games for Potomac in 2008, three games for the P-Nats in 2011, one game for The Red, White, & Blue in 2013, and four games for Potomac in 2014. In 10 total games for the P-Nats, Zimmerman is 12-37 (.324) with five doubles and four RBIs. The first baseman is the third Washington Nationals player to rehab with Potomac in 2016, as RHP Matt Belisle and RHP Jonathan Papelbon have each played with the P-Nats thus far this season.

Potomac opens up a seven-day homestand Thursday night vs. the Winston-Salem Dash. First pitch is at 7:05pm and gates open at 6:00pm.

The Potomac Nationals of the Carolina League play at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Virginia, and are the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The Potomac Nationals have claimed five Carolina League Championship titles (1982, 1989, 2008, 2010, and 2014) and nine CL Northern Division Championships. Potomac Nationals 2016 season tickets, mini plans, and single game tickets are now on sale. Sponsorship opportunities for the 2016 season and beyond are available. Corporate outing reservations for the 2016 season to watch the future stars of the Washington Nationals at The Pfitz may be placed now as the P-Nats offer discounted group ticket rates and all-inclusive picnics. Visit the P-Nats online at www.potomacnationals.com or call the Potomac Nationals Ticket Office at 703-590-2311 for more information!