As most players prepare to perform at summer training camp, the Nationals first baseman for a long time Ryan Zimmerman He writes in an invited piece for the Associated Press that he “is still deciding whether to play” in 2020. Like many players across the league, although he is not personally a high-risk patient in the case of a positive COVID-19 test, he has loved ones who are of greatest concern. Zimmerman writes:
After all, it is a decision not only for me, but also for my family. I have a 3 week old baby. My mother has multiple sclerosis and is at a super high risk; If I end up playing, I can rule out the idea of watching it until weeks after the season ends.
According to the health and safety protocols established by Major League Baseball and agreed upon by the Players Association, Zimmerman would not receive service time nor would he be paid if he decided to choose not to participate. Only players who are high-risk cases, as determined by the team’s medical personnel, are eligible for that benefit.
Zimmerman will be far from the only player to make a decision of this nature in the coming days. There are high-risk individuals throughout the league, whether due to recent battles with cancer, pre-existing respiratory conditions, or any other conditions that increase the risk. The number of players with such risks is surely higher than most know, and the number of players with concerns more in line with Zimmerman is even higher. Chances are good that there are some players who choose not to play in 2020, and Zimmerman offers an honest and thoughtful look at the factors he’s evaluating in a piece well worth reading in its entirety.
Last offseason, Zimmerman signed a $ 2MM, one-year contract to return to the Nationals for what would be his 16th season with the only franchise he has ever known. Foot injuries limited him to just 52 games in 2019 and likely affected his plate performance, but he hit a .289 / .350 / .542 combined in 899 plate appearances from 2017-18.
