The Washington Nationals have declined to pick up an $18 million option on the club’s first ever draft pick Ryan Zimmerman, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman.
The decision makes official what was widely suspected for quite some time. Zimmerman, 35, has played his entire 15-year career with the Nationals.
Heyman noted the Nationals are interested in bringing Zimmerman back under a less expensive annual average value.
He became the first Nationals player to hit a home run at Nationals Park. He also was the first to hit a home run in the club’s postseason history. And this year, he hit the first Nationals’ World Series home run.
However, he has struggled with injuries in five of the last six seasons. He has only played more than 115 games once during that span, failing to play 100 games in 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019.
This season he struggled with plantar fasciitis, playing in 52 games. But, he was an integral part in the Nationals’ run to the World Series title. He appeared in every game, hitting two home runs, driving in seven runs and scoring five.
The man who is called “Mr. National” vowed he won’t retire anytime soon.
Ryan Zimmerman has appeared in 1,689 games, hitting 270 home runs and driving in 1,015 runs.
