At long last, U.S. men's national team midfielder and Nashville SC captain Walker Zimmerman may be getting closer to a return.
Zimmerman was upgraded to questionable on the MLS Player Status Report for Matchday 15 for the first time since he got the worst of a nasty collision in Nashville's 2-1 defeat at Charlotte FC on April 5.
Zimmerman had to leave the field on a cart and be taken to the hospital, though he checked out that night. He had been listed as unavailable since and presumably in the league's concussion protocol, and without a concrete timeline given by the club or manager B.J. Callaghan.
At the time, Zimmerman's exit seemed to rattle Nashville, which conceded both Charlotte's goals after his departure. But the Coyotes have earned 13 points in their seven league games since, while also advancing to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.
Cole Bassett out (ankle) for Colorado Rapids
It's another week and another key contributor that the Rapids will be missing when they host St. Louis City on Saturday.
Cole Bassett is out with an ankle issue after he played 79 minutes and contributed the primary assist in Colorado's 1-0 victory over Rocky Mountain Cup rivals Real Salt Lake last weekend.
Bassett's 2024 campaign ended prematurely due to injury last September, and the result was a six-game losing streak to close the year, including four league defeats and losses in both games of their Round One MLS Cup Playoff series defeat to the Colorado Rapids.
The news comes a week after losing U.S. men's national team goalkeeper Zack Steffen to an oblique issue. Steffen will also miss the fixture against St. Louis.
Jonathan Rodriguez questionable (lower body) for Portland Timbers
One of Portland's most dangerous attackers might not be available for Saturday's trip to Salt Lake.
Rodrguez is listed as questionable with an unspecified lower-body issue, six appearances after he returned from a previous knee issue that kept him out for the first couple months of the season.
Rodriguez has one goal in those six appearances, all coming as a substitute.
Ream questonable (quadriceps) for Charlotte FC
Zimmerma's fellow USMNT defender Tim Ream finds himself on the report again heading into a pivotal home clash against the Columbus Crew.
Ream was previously questionable on Matchday 9 with an upper-body issue but ended up coming on as a first-half substitute in a 3-0 win over San Diego FC.
He was an unused sub during Charlotte's midweek U.S. Open Cup duties, an exit on penalties to D.C. United following a 3-3 draw.