Ryan Zimmerman, the only person in a major league game for that Nationals During each of their 15 seasons in the city, the club is not played in the 16th season.
Zimmerman and right-handed Joe Ross have opted out of the abbreviated 2020 campaign and are unhappy with the health risks to players and employees in this unprecedented attempt to survive a global pandemic.
“Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross have chosen not to participate in the 2020 season for the personal health and safety of themselves and their loved ones,” said Mike Rizzo, general manager of Nationals, in a statement released by the club. “We support their decision not to play this year 100 percent. We will miss their presence in the clubhouse and their contributions on the field. “
When Major League Baseball announced plans last week to unilaterally impose a 60-game season, players were given the right to log out. Only those who are classified as “high risk” for COVID-19 infection and who may have serious effects from the disease are guaranteed the full pro rata salary and length of service for this season. Others who sign out risk losing their salary and service, but teams can pay them if they so choose.
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 had concluded in the past few days that it was not worth the risk to his family.
“After much thought and considering my family circumstances – three young children, including a newborn and a high-risk mother – I decided not to take part in the 2020 season,” Zimmerman wrote in a statement he released this afternoon to the agency, CAA. “Everyone knows how much it means to me to be part of a team and I will miss this camaraderie very much this year. Of course I would like to pursue titles in a row. I can’t speak for anyone, but given the unusual nature of the season, this is the best decision for me and my family, and I really appreciate the understanding and support of the organization. “
The 35-year-old First Baseman has been one of the Nation’s highest paid players for years with a career win of $ 137,492,000. However, he negotiated a new contract with the club over the winter, which only guaranteed him $ 2 million this season plus incentives that cannot be achieved in a shortened season with 60 games.
By agreeing to the smaller contract, Zimmerman also agreed to play a minor role this season. He expected to share the first basic job with a new acquisition Eric Thames and return post-season star Howie Kendrickwhile he gets more bats as right-handed.
The addition of the designated batsman to the National League games during this unusual season seemed to open the door to more room for Zimmerman. The Nationals will miss his bat, but they appear to be well positioned to continue without him. Thames and Kendrick join the new second baseman Starlin Castro and returning veteran infielder Asdrúbal Cabrera as viable alternatives.
Zimmerman, owner of the franchise record Expos / Nationals for Home Runs (270), RBIs (1,015), Hits (1,784), Double (401) and Total Bases (3,039), finally had the chance last fall in his first world Series to play. He produced the first run of the Nats of the series with a Homer from Game 1 in front of the former Astros ace Gerrit Cole and ended the postseason 14: 55 with two Homers, seven RBIs and 0.735 OPS.
Although he said last winter that he was not ready to retire, Zimmerman admitted that he would go from year to year. Today’s decision may be the end of his career, but he insisted that he wasn’t ready to make the call yet.
“To be clear, I’m not retiring right now,” said Zimmerman. “I didn’t choose my future in baseball after 2020. But this year I will stay safe at home and work as hard as anyone else to keep the boys defending our championship.”
Ross will remain under the control of the Nationals after the suspension of the upcoming season, in which he should play a prominent role.
The 27-year-old right-hander was one of three candidates who started the club’s season number 5 starter and was likely to have a leg up Austin Voth and Erick Fedde for the job based on its track record and strong performance in the second half of last season.
Although he had to fight a lot as a Reliever in several stints, Ross was outstanding in eight starts on the track and went 4: 1 with 2.75 ERA. He had an emergency start in Game 5 of the World Series, as Max Scherzer had to be scratched with severe neck cramps.
Ross should earn $ 1.5 million this season, his second of four referee-ready seasons. With four years and 18 days of service in the big league, he was only to become a free agent after the 2021 season. If he decides to unsubscribe, he may find that the deadline has been postponed to the end of the 2022 season.
The Nationals now have two openings in their recently announced 60-man player pool, the group of players who are eligible to play in major leagues this season. You could choose to add others from your organization or attract outside players.
The club’s three-week summer training camp is expected to begin on Friday in the National Park. Players must report by Wednesday at the latest to be tested for the corona virus.
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