Ryan Zimmerman, the only person who plays in a major league game to Nationals During each of his 15 seasons in the city, he will not play for the club during his 16th season.
Zimmerman and right-handed Joe Ross They have been excluded from the abbreviated 2020 campaign, uncomfortable with the health risks they pose to players and staff during this unprecedented attempt to overcome a global pandemic.
“Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross have decided not to participate in the 2020 season for the personal health and safety of themselves and their loved ones,” Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said in a statement issued by the club. “We fully support his decision not to play this year. We will miss his presence at the clubhouse and his contributions on the field. ”
When Major League Baseball announced plans last week to unilaterally impose a 60-game season, players were entitled to opt out. Only those who are considered “high risk” for contracting COVID-19 and who potentially suffer serious effects of the disease are guaranteed their full prorated salary and length of service for this season. Others choose not to risk losing their salary and accumulating time on duty, but teams can pay if they want.
Zimmerman, whose wife just gave birth to the couple’s third child earlier this month and whose mother has multiple sclerosis, publicly admitted late last week that he wasn’t sure if he would play this season. He concluded in recent days that it was not worth the risk for his family.
“After much thought and given the circumstances of my family, three young children, including a newborn and a high-risk mother, I have decided not to participate in the 2020 season,” Zimmerman wrote in a statement released this afternoon by his agency, CAA. “Everyone knows how much it means to be part of a team, and I will really miss that camaraderie this year. Of course I would love to search for consecutive titles. I can’t speak for anyone else, but given the unusual nature of the season, this is the best decision for me and my family, and I really appreciate the organization’s understanding and support. ”
The 35-year-old first baseman had been one of the Nationals’ highest-paid players for years, with career earnings of $ 137,492,000. But he negotiated a new deal with the club over the winter that guaranteed him only $ 2 million this season, more incentives that will not be possible to achieve in a shorter season of 60 games.
By accepting the minor contract, Zimmerman also agreed to take on a minor role this season. I was hoping to share the first base job with a new acquisition Eric Thames and coming back postseason star Howie Kendrick, while getting more at-bats as a right-handed pinch hitter.
The addition of the designated hitter to National League games during this unusual season seemed to open the door for more playing time for Zimmerman. The Nationals will miss his bat, but they appear to be well positioned to continue without him, with Thames and Kendrick joining the new second baseman. Starlin castro and veteran infielder Asdrúbal Cabrera as viable alternatives
Owner of the Expos / Nationals franchise record for home runs (270), RBI (1,015), hits (1,784), doubles (401) and total bases (3,039), Zimmerman finally had a chance to play in his first World Series on last fall. He produced the first run in the Nats series with a Game 1 home run by former Astros star Gerrit Cole and finished the postseason 14 of 55 with two home runs, seven RBIs and .735 OPS.
Although he said last winter that he was not ready to retire, Zimmerman acknowledged that it would continue year after year. Today’s decision could mark the end of his career, but he insisted that he is not ready to make that call yet.
“To be clear, I am not retiring at this time,” said Zimmerman. “I haven’t decided my future in baseball after 2020. But this year, I will stay safe at home and push as hard as anybody to have the boys defend our championship.”
Ross, meanwhile, will remain under Nationals control even after staying out next season, one in which he was ready to play a leading role.
The 27-year-old right-hander was one of three candidates to open the season as the club’s No. 5 starter and likely had the advantage. Austin Voth and Erick Fedde for work based on his track record and strong performance during the second half of last season.
Although he struggled powerfully in several seasons as a reliever, Ross excelled in eight starts in the stretch, going 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA. He ended up making an emergency start in Game 5 of the World Series when Max Scherzer had to be scratched with severe neck spasms.
Ross was going to win $ 1.5 million this season, his second of four arbitration-eligible seasons. With four years and 18 days of service in the major leagues, he was not due to become a free agent until after the 2021 season. By choosing not to participate, you can see that that key date was delayed until the conclusion of the 2022 season.
The Nationals now have two starts in their newly announced 60-player pool, the pool of players who will be eligible to appear in Major League games this season. They could choose to add others within their organization or they could acquire players from abroad.
The club’s three-week summer training camp is tentatively scheduled to begin Friday at Nationals Park, and players must report by Wednesday before they can be tested for the coronavirus.
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