Jordan Zimmermann will have an innings limit this season - MLB

Jordan Zimmermann spent most of last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, but managed to return to the big leagues in late-August, just one year removed from the procedure.

The 24-year-old right-hander posted a 4.94 ERA and 27/10 K/BB ratio over seven starts with the Nats down the stretch. He was inconsistent and struggled with the home run ball at times, but averaged 92.3 mph on his fastball and was most importantly pain-free.

While Zimmermann figures to play a major role in the Nationals’ starting rotation this season, manager Jim Riggleman told Ben Goessling of MASNSports.com earlier today that he will face an innings limit.

“We’re not looking for Jordan to go out there and give us 200 innings this year. That’s more of the future,” Riggleman said. “But we do want him to go out there and be a stabilizer. He’s a guy who I think right now around baseball, regardless of what rotation he was in, would probably be looked at as a third starter. But we feel like he’s going to be better than that. It doesn’t all have to happen this year, but we do want to make progress toward that.”

Riggleman said he intends to speak with pitching coach Steve McCatty and pitching coordinator Spin Williams before the team settles on an exact number. Zimmermann has never tossed more than 134 innings in a single season — and that was in his first full professional season back in 2008 — so it’s fair to expect he’ll have a ceiling of approximately 150-160 innings.

It’s not like the Nationals are expected to contend this season, anyway — remember, there’s only an outside chance that Stephen Strasburg will pitch in September — but the front end of their starting rotation could be pretty formidable as soon as 2012.

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles signed outfielder Aaron Hicks less than 24 hours after Cedric Mullins went down with a strained right groin.

Mullins went on the 10-day injured list, but the Orioles are hoping Hicks can help defensively in the spacious outfield at Camden Yards. Hicks was released last week by the New York Yankees with more than 2 1/2 seasons left on his contract.

“We had noticed that he was a free agent even before the injury,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said. “When the injury occurred and it became pretty clear this was going to be an IL, it seemed like a good fit even more so at that time.”

The Orioles are responsible for paying Hicks just $483,871, a prorated share of the $720,000 minimum salary. The Yankees owe him the rest of his $10.5 million salary this year, plus $9.5 million in each of the next two seasons and a $1 million buyout of a 2026 team option.

The 33-year-old Hicks hit just .188 in 28 games for the Yankees this year.

“We have stuff that we look at from a scouting and evaluation perspective,” Elias said. “It’s very different from just looking at the back of a baseball card, and we hope that we get a bounceback from anyone we bring here.”

Hicks batted .216 last season.

“Hopefully that’s a good thing for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the Baltimore deal. “A lot of time here and a lot of good things happened for him here. I know the last couple of years have been a struggle. But hopefully it’s a good opportunity for him and certainly wish him well. Not too well being in our division and a team we’re chasing, but hopefully it’s a really good fit for him.”

Mullins left a loss to Cleveland after he pulled up while running out an infield grounder. Outfielder Colton Cowser – the fifth pick in the draft two years ago – is hitting .331 at Triple-A Norfolk, but he went on the IL in the past couple weeks.

“Certainly he was building a case towards promotion consideration prior to his injury and prior to Cedric’s injury,” Elias said. “We’ll just see where we’re at.”

Hicks was active for the game but not in the starting lineup. Austin Hays, normally Baltimore’s left field, was in Mullins’ usual spot in center.

When the wall in left at Camden Yards was pushed significantly back before last season, it made left field a bigger challenge defensively.

“In this park … you really need two center fielders,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Aaron’s got a lot of center-field experience. Played left field here before also. Brings the defensive aspect and then the switch-hitting.”