"Ryan Zimmerman is playing like himself again because he is working like himself again. Zimmerman returned from the disabled list June 14, well enough to go back on the field again after he missed two months with an abdominal tear that required surgery. He had healed enough to play, but scar tissue still crackled inside him, and soreness surfaced every two or three days.

Zimmerman could play, but, crucially, he could not do what has made one of baseball's best players. The soreness in the middle of his abdomen forced him to forego his post-game workouts. He sensed a dearth of strength. He felt like he was in spring training, and the rest of the league had warped into June.

"It was frustrating, but at the same time I was just so happy to be back," Zimmerman said. "I knew that I wasn't performing the way I was capable, but at the same time it was better than sitting on the couch. It was frustrating, but it just takes time. You have to be patient."

The patience, finally, has paid off. Zimmerman, after extending his hitting streak to 13 games by going 3 for 4 with a walk and two doubles in the Nationals' 6-3 loss last night, is on a legitimate tear. In his last 25 games, Zimmerman has hit .369/.409/.505 over 110 plate appearances. During his hitting streak, Zimmerman is 25 for 56 (.446) with two walks and five doubles."