Longtime National Ryan Zimmerman is slated to reach free agency after the season, but it doesn’t appear he’ll retire or wind up in another uniform in 2020. Odds are Zimmerman and the Nationals will hammer out a new agreement prior to next season, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com suggests.
The Nationals already control Zimmerman for another year, but they’re sure to decline his $18MM club option in favor of a $2MM buyout. That’ll bring an official end to the six-year, $100MM extension the Nationals gave Zimmerman in 2012 when he was their franchise player and one of the premier third basemen in the game. Unfortunately, injuries have been an all-too-common problem for Zimmerman since his deal kicked in during the 2014 season – the last time he lined up at the hot corner.
Zimmerman transitioned to first base in 2015 and has since offered up-and-down production, with 2019 sure to count among the least effective campaigns of his career. The 35-year-old is coming off yet another injury-limited regular season, in which he amassed 190 plate appearances and hit .257/.321/.415 with six home runs.
Zimmerman did come up with a heroic swing in the Nationals’ Game 4 win over the Dodgers in the NLDS, though it’s still fair to say his output has typically fallen short since the club made a long-term commitment to him. Nevertheless, the affinity he and the Nationals have for each other seems as if it will pave the way to another contract, per Zuckerman.
A Nat since they chose him fourth in the 2005 draft, Zimmerman told Zuckerman his time in Washington has been “special,” and added “my family’s close. My wife is from here. So I’m lucky: I get to see my kids for 81 games. A lot of guys are on the road. So I look at it more as I’m lucky to be in this situation. I think a lot of guys would love to have this situation, but don’t really have the opportunity that I’ve had. So I think I feel more lucky than anything.”
Regardless of whether Zimmerman does remain a National, he’ll go into the offseason as an obvious candidate for an inexpensive short-term deal. At the moment, he’s one of a few Nationals first base options with uncertain futures ahead. Matt Adams also has a club option (for $4MM), but the team seems likely to buy him out for $1MM. Meanwhile, Washington’s control over soon-to-be free agents Howie Kendrick and Gerardo Parra is about to expire.
It makes real sense to sign him and someone who can offer 1B level production but can player other spots around the infield (IE Kendrick) back. Them and a lefty hitting middle infielder would make for a great platoon/bench infield.
If the Nats by him out, does that void the “personal services” contract that exist for after the expiration of the contract?
Not sure. Just assuming that the new contract will contain similar if not identical personal service provisions.
nope. it’s a deal that kicks in once his playing career is over.
so if they decline the option, he signed a deal elsewhere, then retired after, say 2021, it would start in 2022 instead.
from what i’ve seen of it over at cot’s contracts, the only way it could have been voided is if he was traded before the deal officially started in 2014 (and would have gone into the extension as a $18 million pay increase over the first 5 years of the deal)
I doubt it voids it. If they buy him out the contract would then be expired and the special services contract would kick in
The Nationals now know how the Braves feel every postseason. They are clearly a better team than the Braves but are playing a better team in the Dodgers. If they played the Cardinals (a far inferior overachieving) team, they would be in the NLCS.
Zim should resign because the NL East is winnable in 2020.
I think it’s more of a matter of who will want zimmerman, thought likely the nats, if they don’t what team would want him?
No one will want him nor should Zim want to go to any other team. I will be rooting for the Nats to win this year and he is one of the reasons.
This comment is funny now.
If they are clearly a better team then why did the Braves win the division?
What for $100,000,000 he couldn’t move his wife and kids closer if they didn’t already live there?
There’s a difference between completing a real estate transaction and “establishing roots” as they say.
I do not think that was his point. His point is by staying with the Nationals he would not have to uproot the family. His wife is from there so I assume the family in DC most likely includes siblings parents nieces nephews aunts uncles.
Sure he could afford to move the family but I think he was just saying DC is home.