VIERA, Fla. — The Nationals and Jordan Zimmermann have made “a little progress” in their negotiations for the right-handers’ 2013 salary, but they have not yet reached an agreement he said Monday. Zimmermann’s arbitration hearing, if necessary, will be Feb. 19.
“We’ve still got a little ways to go, but we’ll see what happens,” Zimmermann said after his workout. “The case is Feb. 19 so it’s creeping up on us. We’ve got a few things to work out yet. We’ll see what happens.”
The sides are not, at this time, discussing a multi-year deal, Zimmermann said.
“Just trying to get this one-year deal done and we’ll see what happens.”
The Nationals filed at $4.6 million when arbitration numbers were due on Jan. 18 and Zimmermann’s representatives filed at $5.8 million. The mid-point between the two sides would be $5.2 million. Zimmermann declined to comment when asked if agreeing at the mid-point was an existing possibility.
Two weeks ago, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said that part of the hold-up in the negotiations between the two sides was waiting to see what other pitchers in Zimmermann’s class were settling on in arbitration. At that point, there had yet to be many deals completed. Zimmermann said that doesn’t have as much to do with it as his own personal situation.
“At the end of the day it (has to be) something that we feel is right for myself and my agent,” he said. “And something that’s good for us.”
