Zimmerman hasn't yet resumed baseball activities

WASHINGTON -- There are three weeks left in the 2014 regular season, and there is still no timetable as to when Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman can start playing in Major League games. The team hopes he can get back before the regular season comes to an end.

As of now, Zimmerman is able to jog, but he has not participated in baseball activities like swinging a bat or running the bases. Zimmerman reiterated that he is not going to rush to get back on the field.

Zimmerman, who suffered a Grade 3 hamstring strain against the Rockies on July 22, said Monday he is feeling better. Manager Matt Williams already said Zimmerman will play in the instructional league before he gets back to the big leagues.

"It's still progressing nicely. I don't want to say anything one way or the other," Zimmerman said. "Things are going well. Hopefully, if things go well, we can play sometime soon."

While the team was in Los Angeles last week, Williams said Zimmerman could play three positions -- third base, left field and first base -- once he returns to action. Zimmerman said he would play any position the team would want him to play.

"That's what I was doing anyway," Zimmerman said. "I would be happy to get back, playing any of those positions. Any of that would be fine with me."

When was asked if he was willing to come off the bench in certain games, Zimmerman said, "That's way too early to ask those questions. What role it's going to be? What could happen in two weeks? … When I'm back and ready to play, we can talk about that stuff. I really don't want to think about it right now."

At the time of his injury, Zimmerman was hitting .282 with five home runs and 36 RBIs.