Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Ryan Zimmerman

Zimmerman Undecided On Future, But Nats Would Welcome Him Back

By | at

The Nationals took the time to honor franchise icon Ryan Zimmerman yesterday, in what could have been the final appearance of the veteran corner infielder’s storied big league career (video link). After the game, Zimmerman told reporters that he’s not yet decided whether he’ll retire or come back for what would be a 17th season at the Major League level (link via MASNsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman).

Zimmerman, who turned 37 in late September, said he feels confident he could continue playing and felt he handled the role he was given this year well, but there are larger questions at stake. “Now it’s a decision of: Do I want to keep doing that or do I want to be around my family a little bit more?” Zimmerman wondered aloud. It’s a question that’s had onlookers wondering for some time now, as explored by MLBTR’s TC Zencka over the weekend.

One thing that became abundantly clear based on yesterday’s slate of interviews is that Zimmerman would be welcomed back to the roster next season with open arms. General manager Mike Rizzo made sure to plainly express as much, taking the extra step to emphasize that Zimmerman has a guaranteed Major League deal waiting for him if he wants to return.

“Ryan Zimmerman has a place on this roster as a player as long as Mike Rizzo is the GM,” said Rizzo. “So whenever he wants to take a major league contract, just call me up and we’ll give him one.”

While the 2021 season wasn’t as strong a year as Zimmerman had during his peak, the veteran slugger still tormented left-handed opponents and generally showed well above-average power. In 116 plate appearances against southpaws, Zimmerman turned in a .291/.319/.582 batting line with seven home runs and 11 doubles. His overall production was down against righties (.207/.261/.386), but Zimmerman still tagged same-handed opponents for seven homers and five doubles with a strong .179 isolated power mark (slugging percentage minus batting average).

On the surface, Zimmerman still carries appeal as a platoon option at first base or, assuming it is indeed implemented in the National League in 2022, at designated hitter. That’d be a fairly limited role, of course, but the organization surely values Zimmerman’s contributions well beyond his mere on-field production. After spending nearly two decades in the Majors — all of them coming as a member of the Nationals — Zimmerman’s leadership, his ability to connect with young players and his connection with the fan base are all factors that weigh into the team’s decision to effectively present him with a standing offer.

Looking to the 2022 season, that leadership and ability to mentor younger players could be valued even more heavily. After spending years as one of the older and more veteran-laden teams in the game, the Nationals embarked on what will likely be an accelerated rebuilding effort at this year’s trade deadline. Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Daniel Hudson, Brad Hand, Yan Gomes, Josh Harrison and Jon Lester were all traded for younger, more controllable players. The likes of Keibert Ruiz, Josiah Gray, Riley Adams and Lane Thomas have all already debuted on the big league roster, and next year’s club figures to be a good bit younger than in recent seasons as a result.

To be clear, Rizzo already pushed back on the idea of prolonging this summer’s sale into a lengthy, years-long rebuild. That doesn’t seem to be in the cards, and the Nats have plenty of available payroll space with only three guaranteed contracts on the books next season (Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin and Will Harris). It’s likely they’ll bring in some veteran talent whether Zimmerman is re-signed or not, but the front office clearly sees value in the continuity “Mr. National” would bring as the team transitions to a new core that can hopefully be built around superstar outfielder Juan Soto.

Are The Nationals On The Verge Of Losing Another Franchise Icon?

By | at

The Washington Nationals have undergone a whiplash-y few years. Coming off years as a playoff-impotent, Bryce Harper-led contender, the Nationals turned in one of the most improbable World Series runs ever in 2019, led by none other than Harper’s replacement in then-20-year-old wunderkind Juan Soto.

Soto was actually the Robin on that title team to Anthony Rendon’s Batman. Rendon went 6-for-8 with a walk, three doubles, and three home runs in the 7th inning or later of elimination games during that postseason – a run that featured a record five come-from-behind wins in elimination games. Rendon’s heroics did not save him from Harper’s fate, however, as the homegrown star third basemen departed the capital to join the Angels as a free agent that very winter.

So it was just as the Nats shook off their persona as a playoff also-ran that they tumbled from contention and turned in back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 2010-11. Rather than build off the success of their title run, manager Dave Martinez and company instead oversaw a thin roster struggling to stay healthy and keep pace, even in a disappointing NL East.

Their futility led to the departure of more franchise icons via the deadline trade of face-of-the-franchise Max Scherzer and MVP-candidate Trea Turner to the Dodgers. For the District viewership, count the loss of World Series closer Daniel Hudson, longtime stopper Sean Doolittle, and fan favorite Michael A. Taylor – not to mention the retirement of Game Seven hero Howie Kendrick – among the losses since 2019.

What’s left in Washington is a team so anonymous to the fanbase that more than 20 percent of the active roster was acquired at this year’s deadline. Soto’s supposed running mate, Victor Robles, played so poorly that he was demoted to Rochester and has yet to return. GM Mike Rizzo hopes that the acquisitions of righty Josiah Gray and catcher Keibert Ruiz (acquired from L.A. in the Scherzer/Turner deal) will jump start the next Nationals’ contender, but there are few sure things besides Soto, who now stands as the lone superstar on a once star-studded franchise.

And yet with all those good-byes ushering in a new era of Nats’ baseball, franchise icon Ryan Zimmerman remains. Their first-ever draft pick, Zimmerman was the third baseman before Rendon arrived, and he remains a part-time first baseman long after his departure. Playing time has been carefully curated for the 37-year-old, so much so that one has to wonder if Zimmerman will play his final game at Nats Park on Sunday.

Zimmerman is not a Hall of Famer, but he’s nonetheless put up one heck of a career in Washington. The North Carolina native went to school in Virginia, and he has appeared in every season in Nats history except for 2020 when he opted out. Zimmerman is the all-time team leader in most offensive categories, and even counting Expos history, Zimmerman is the franchise leader in games played, at bats, plate appearances, hits, runs scored, total bases, doubles, RBIs, and home runs (plus strikeouts and double plays grounded into). Yadier Molina of the Cardinals is the only player in the game who has been with his club longer than Zimmerman has been with the Nationals.

In terms of the numbers, Mr. National put up 40.0 rWAR over his 16 seasons while being 16 percentage points better than average by measure of wRC+. He played 1,797 games, slashed .277/.341/.475 with 1,845 career hits and 284 career home runs. Though he’s almost certainly held in higher regard locally than his accomplishments warrant, a history of injuries has also made him somewhat underrated on the national level.

The two-time All-Star has been productive as a part-time player this year, posting 1.1 rWAR in 267 plate appearances with a .243/.281/.470 triple slash, 14 home runs and 45 RBIs. He’s been particularly productive in his role starting games against southpaws, slashing .297/.324/.565 in those games. Though 2017 was the last time he had more than 500 plate appearances in a season, he’s preserved a role as a part-time player.

Zimmerman has enough bat to stay in this game for another year or two, but it would be somewhat surprising to see him return for yet another go-round in Washington. He’s long been adamant about playing nowhere but DC. If the Nats were heading towards a season of surefire contention in 2022, Zimmerman might be more inclined to keep his cleats on, but Rizzo has a lot of work to do to get the roster ready for another run. As of now, however, Zimmerman has yet to announce his intentions for next season.

If Zimmerman does indeed retire, it will be another blow to a DMV fanbase that has suffered its fair share of heartbreak. One of the most consistent franchises in the game during the 2010s, they’ll enter 2022 with more uncertainty than usual. Rizzo, Martinez, and Soto remain as the through-line tracing back to the organization’s heyday, with Stephen Strasburg looming as the other potential face-of-the-franchise, were he able to conquer his health demons and stay on the bump – but that’s more pipe-dream than expectation at this point.

As the ties to the 2019 World Series title come undone, Nats’ fans can enjoy Zimmerman for at least two more games this weekend. That said, a franchise that long provided stability has to build something new moving forward. Zimmerman’s presence is important not only to the fanbase, but as a symbol of the organization’s loyalty and continuity – which is becoming harder and harder to find. Without Zimmerman, the team will truly belong to Soto, and with three years of team control remaining, the franchise has exactly that long to convince him to take on the legacy left behind by Zimmerman as Mr. National.

Nationals Re-Sign Ryan Zimmerman

By | at

TODAY: The Nats officially announced Zimmerman’s return.   USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that Zimmerman’s contract contains a full no-trade clause.

JANUARY 22: The Nationals are bringing back longtime cornerstone Ryan Zimmerman on a one-year deal worth $1MM, reports USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (Twitter link). Zimmerman opted out of the 2020 season but said last month that he hoped to play again in 2021. The Washington Post’s Barry Svrluga adds that Zimmerman’s deal is still pending a physical and carries incentives to boost his that affordable base salary. Zimmerman is a client of CAA Sports.

Zimmerman, who turned 36 in September, has been a member of the Nats organization since they took him fourth overall in the 2005 draft. He was the first pick the franchise made after relocating from Montreal, and Zimmerman has certainly lived up to the selection. Zimmerman debuted in his draft year and has since put together a .279/.343/.475 line with 270 home runs in 7129 plate appearances. The former third baseman (who’s now a first baseman) also has a pair of All-Star nods on his resume and was part of the Nationals’ only World Series-winning team in 2019.

At present, there’s no path to everyday at-bats for “Mr. National,” given the team’s December acquisition of Josh Bell and the current lack of a universal designated hitter. Zimmerman, though, could certainly form a platoon with the switch-hitting Bell, who has historically been much better from the left side of the dish. Bell is a career .271/.360/.485 hitter as a lefty but just a .232/.315/.410 batter from the right side of the dish. Zimmerman, meanwhile, has clobbered lefties throughout his 15-year MLB career: .311/.390/.527.

That said, many still expect that MLB and the MLBPA will agree to keep the designated hitter in the National League between now and Opening Day, which would obviously open up more at-bats for Zimmerman, be it as a DH himself or at first base while the defensively challenged Bell slides into the DH spot.

Quick Hits: Nats, Bell, Zimmerman, A’s, Giants, Codify, White Sox, Vaughn

By | at

The Nationals accomplished a big part of their winter to-do list when they acquired Josh Bell from the Pirates on Christmas Eve. “He exemplifies everything we’re trying to do here in Washington,” GM Mike Rizzo told NBCSports’ Todd Dybas and others during a Zoom call this afternoon (via Twitter). Bell fits the clubhouse ethos the Nats work hard to maintain while being a near-perfect on-field fit to join Juan Soto in the middle of the lineup. Ryan Zimmerman could still return to the Nats, per the Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli (via Twitter), as Rizzo notes that a right-handed bench bat remains an area of need  [UPDATE: A new contract between Zimmerman and the Nationals “seems inevitable,” Ghiroli hears from sources.]

  • Michael Fisher is helping pitchers take a proactive approach to retiring hitters through his data-analytics firm called Codify, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. Rather than telling pitchers what they’re doing wrong, he creates heat maps to help pitchers find the right areas to target. He focuses on where they should throw the ball instead of where they shouldn’t. Fisher’s approach works for a number of Oakland A’s pitchers like Jake Diekman, Jesus Luzardo, and Sean Manaea, Giants’ hurlers Tyler Beede and Logan Webb, as well as free agent closer Liam Hendriks.
  • Despite the additions already made this offseason, the White Sox could use some more rotation depth, a closer, and a designated hitter, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. Andrew Vaughn could be called upon to fill that designated hitter role or to spell MVP Jose Abreu at first base. Vaughn figured to be a fast-riser when the White Sox made him the No. 3 overall selection of the 2019 draft, and he made it to High-A in his first professional season. Had there been a minor league season in 2020, Vaughn might be ready for the Show, but under the circumstances, the Sox could look for a stopgap solution to give Vaughn some seasoning time and further build their offensive depth.

Quick Hits: Cubs, Hoerner, Opening Day, Home Run Leaders By State

By | at

Nico Hoerner earned a Gold Glove nomination after notching five Defensive Runs Saved in just over 200 innings at the keystone in 2020, but his versatility will make him more than a bit player for the Cubs moving forward. Thanks to his plus glovework, the 23-year-old was worth 0.7 bWAR in 2020 despite slashing .222/.312/.259. His defensive prowess will keep his name on the lineup card while his bat works to catch up, writes Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times. Hoerner played five positions including centerfield – the Cubs’ most glaring long-and-short-term hole. Ian Happ was the bulk starter in center in 2020, but he could move to left now that Kyle Schwarber was non-tendered. The Cubs are likely to add at least another name to their outfield mix, but don’t be surprised to see Hoerner continue to get looks there in the spring while competing with David Bote for regular second base reps.

As we look forward to the new year, let’s see what else is happening around the sport…

  • With two COVID-19 vaccines now on the market, owners are considering a push to delay the season opener until May. In their minds, a significant enough number in vaccinations could justify the delay, writes Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com. Players have thus far resisted any attempts to push back the start of the season, however. The MLBPA wants a 162-game season rather than face another year of prorated pay. With coronavirus cases still on the rise, however, it’s prudent for MLB to take whatever precautions necessary to limit the risk of breakouts in 2021.
  • MLB.com’s Director of Research and Development Daren Willman put together a fun chart to peruse this holiday season (via Twitter). Williams posted the current home run leaders by birth state, and there are definitely some places for a young go-getter to take their local crown. Maine, Alaska, and New Hampshire each have career leaders with less than 100 home runs, while Duke Sims landed exactly at the century mark to leader all Utahans. Paul Goldschmidt (Delaware), Bryce Harper (Nevada), Kurt Suzuki (Hawaii), Mike Trout (New Jersey), and Ryan Zimmerman (North Carolina) could add to their leads in 2021, while the recently-retired Alex Gordon ended his career as Nebraska’s all-time home run king. Executive Director of the MLBPA Tony Clark also makes the list as Kansas’ all-time leader.

Ryan Zimmerman Intends To Play In 2021

By | at

The 2020 season was the first in Nationals’ team history without Ryan Zimmerman on the roster. After opting out in 2020, Zimmerman intends to return to the diamond in 2021, per Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post (via Twitter).

There’s no timetable for when Zimmerman might sit down with the Nats, but it’s safe to assume he’s not looking to relocate. Mr. Nat has indicated at every turn that he expects the Nationals to be his only professional franchise, and the love-fest has been a two-way street.

The Nationals happen to have a need at first and the ability to platoon Zimmerman. Manager Davey Martinez is used to protecting his veterans and piecing together the timeshare at first, as he’s done for the last couple of seasons. Howie Kendrick, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Eric Thames split time at first in Zim’s absence. All three are now free agents. Jake Noll currently sits atop the depth chart, but it’s safe to assume the 26-year-old with 30 career plate appearances isn’t likely to remain there through opening day.

The Nats have been linked to a number of top free agents, while GM Mike Rizzo noted their flexibility in seeking upgrades. Essentially, the Nats have room for improvement at both infield corners as well as whichever outfield corner Juan Soto doesn’t make camp in. If they were to make a run at J.T. Realmuto, few would be surprised, though Rizzo has said they are comfortable letting Yan Gomes crouch behind the plate for 90 to 100 games in 2021.

Regardless, Zimmerman’s clear intention to return ought to lend some clarity to Rizzo. He had signed for $2MM prior to opting out of 2020, and that’s a reasonable number to project for this season as well. He was tagged with a persistent case of plantar fasciitis in 2019, though he returned to slug a couple of big postseason home runs, as well as, appropriately, the first ever World Series long ball in franchise history.

Facing a fair amount of turnover from their title team in 2019, the Nats will appreciate Zimmerman’s stabilizing presence in the locker room. He’s not, however, likely to soak up much playing time. The 36-year-old has appeared in 100 games just twice over the last seven seasons, averaging 92 games and 364 plate appearances over that span. With a .263/.323/.470 line since 2014, he’s been a 107 wRC+ bat without any positional flexibility. Despite his limited utility, the team has shown a tremendous amount of faith in their longest-tenured player.

Ryan Zimmerman Intends To Return In 2021

By | at

Long-time Nationals corner infielder Ryan Zimmerman weighed retirement previously but ultimately elected to return for another season in 2020. He then reversed course in light of the coronavirus pandemic, opting out of the campaign.

It was fair to wonder whether Zimmerman would simply decide to hang up his spikes, particularly since he went out with a bang in the 2019 World Series. This being 2020, that question arose in a Zoom call between the veteran ballplayer and NIAID chief Dr. Anthony Fauci, who wisely took the opportunity to turn the tables (Twitter link to video).

Zimmerman was surprisingly decisive. “I fully plan on being back,” he said. “I’ve told my family and a bunch of close friends that I can’t go out like this.”

Perhaps this unusual stretch has provided Zimmerman a unique opportunity to experience retirement without committing to it. He says he has “missed every second” of being a part of the game and remains “very disappointed not being able to play.” At the same time, Zimmerman says he still believes he made “the right decision for me and my family” by opting out of the campaign.

Nationals Notes: Kieboom To Start At Third, Denaburg Out, Cavalli In

By | at

Speaking to a handful of DMV-area reporters, Nationals’ manager Davey Martinez said that he expects Carter Kieboom to be the starting third baseman, MASN’s Mark Zuckerman, and Todd Dybas of NBC Sports were among those reporting. It’s a bit of a surprising revelation from Martinez, as last we heard, Kieboom wasn’t even a sure thing to make the Opening Day roster. At the same time, most projections had the 22-year-old making his play for the hot corner by August, surely, so it might be that not much has changed in terms of organizational outlook. More on this and the other goings-on around Nats’ camp…

  • One change that might have affected the Nats’ plan for Kieboom, however, was Ryan Zimmerman opting out for the season. Without Zimmerman, there seems to be plenty of at-bats to go around the remaining veteran contingent of Nationals’ infielders. First base should fall to a strict platoon between Howie Kendrick and Eric Thames, while the off-day first baseman is also likely to split time at DH with Asdrubal Cabrera. Starlin Castro, then, would handle second base relatively full-time while occasionally being spelled by either Cabrera or Kendrick. The Nationals tend to let their prospects play full time, so if Kieboom keeps the starting role through Opening Day, he’s likely to get more-or-less the full slate of 60 games to prove he deserves it.
  • Updating some numbers for us, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post mentions that the Nationals have about 49-50 guys in camp right now of the 58 currently named to the player pool. That said, the Nats’ are widely expected to add first-round pick Cade Cavalli to their 60-man player pool shortly, per TalkNats. The Nats have a few open spots on their roster now that a number of players have opted out for the season (Ryan Zimmerman, Joe Ross, Welington Castillo).
  • As the Cavalli addition presupposes, the Nats have chosen to include most of the organization’s highest-regarded prospects in the 60-man player pool. That group would have included Mason Denaburg, were he not out for the season recovering from offseason surgery, per Stephen G. Mears of TalkNats. The 6’4″ former catcher ranks eighth on the Nats’ top prospect list per Baseball America. He was the Nats’ top draft choice in 2018, though he’s managed just 20 1/3 innings of pro ball since then.

Ryan Zimmerman: “I’m Still Deciding Whether To Play”

By | at

As most players prepare to report to summer training camp, longtime Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman writes in a guest piece for the Associated Press that he’s “still deciding whether to play” in 2020. Like many players throughout the league, while he’s not personally a high-risk patient in the event of a positive COVID-19 test, he has loved ones who are of greater concern. Writes Zimmerman:

When it comes down to it, it’s a decision not just for me, but for my family as well. I have a 3-week-old baby. My mother has multiple sclerosis and is super high-risk; if I end up playing, I can pretty much throw out the idea of seeing her until weeks after the season is over.

Under the health and safety protocols laid out by Major League Baseball and agreed to by the Players Association, Zimmerman wouldn’t receive service time or be paid, should he choose to opt out. Only players who are high-risk cases themselves, as determined by team medical personnel, are eligible for that benefit.

Zimmerman will be far from the only player making a decision of this nature in the coming days. High-risk individuals exist throughout the league, be it due to recent battles with cancer, preexisting respiratory conditions or any number of other risk-increasing conditions. The number of players with such risks is surely higher than most are aware of, and the number of players with concerns more in line with Zimmerman is even greater yet. There will very likely be some players who opt not to play in 2020, and Zimmerman provides a candid and thoughtful look at the factors he’s weighing in a piece that’s well worth a full read.

This past offseason, Zimmerman inked a one-year, $2MM contract to return to the Nationals for what would his 16th season with the only franchise he’s ever known. Foot injuries limited him to just 52 games in 2019 and likely impacted his performance at the plate, but he batted a combined .289/.350/.542 in 899 plate appearances from 2017-18.

Never On Top, But Still The Champs

By | at

 The Washington Nationals have had more time than your average champ to take a bow after their World Series victory last October. Their win in Game Seven over the Astros more than seven months ago stands as the most recent non-exhibition game, and though Major League Baseball continues to bob and weave their way back to play amidst this pandemic, the Nats are still the champs until a new one is crowned. Luckily for baseball fans, Davey Martinez’s crew in Washington certainly made the most of their first World Series victory from a lore perspective. Their turnaround after starting 19-31 has been the most often trumpeted fact from their run to the top, but there are plenty more factoids that add flavor to the Nats’ first championship.

For example, as their Twitter account graciously reminds us, they’re “The Greatest Comeback Team In MLB History” after reversing an in-game deficit five times when facing elimination in the postseason. Then there’s Ryan Zimmerman hitting the first home run in their World Series history 15 years after the Nats made him the first-ever draft pick. Howie Kendrick certainly has a story to share, as does Stephen Strasburg, as does, believe it or not, Gerardo Parra, who bonded the clubhouse around – of all things – a South Korean children’s song.

They also became the first team to win a World Series via four road wins, they took out the Astros just weeks before news broke of the sign-stealing scandal, and they coined multiple slogans along the way, like “Stay In The Fight,” “Bumpy Roads Lead To Beautiful Places,” and “Go 1-0 Every Day.”

But despite the rings, the accolades, and the lore aplenty, there’s at least one thing the Nationals did not accomplish. The 2019 Nats became just the second team in the Wild Card Era to win the World Series without spending a single day in first place (2003 Marlins). 

Of course, the introduction of the wild card in 1995 makes this fun fact possible. Since the single wild card was brought into play, we have 25 seasons of wild card history. Seven wild cards survived the gauntlet of the playoffs to win it all: 1997 Marlins, 2002 Angels, 2003 Marlins, 2004 Red Sox, 2011 Cardinals, 2014 Giants, 2019 Nationals (that’s it, right?). While the run in the early aughts gave the wild card some serious juju, the shine had worn off a bit in recent years. Still, each of the past two decades brought a 30% championship rate for wild card entrants. 

Meanwhile, World Series champions on the whole over the past 25 years have spent an average of 95.88 games in first. Of course, we’re dealing with a small sample size here and a fairly large spread. A standard deviation of ~54 games means that roughly 95% of our champs should have spent somewhere between 41 and 150 games in first, meaning there really are many ways to skin this cat – especially since more than a quarter of World Series champs fell beyond those bounds (thanks a lot, sample size). 

The 2016 Cubs came pretty close to running the table, leading the NL Central for 154 games before capping a season for the ages. They were outdone – White Sox fans will not be surprised to hear – by their crosstown rival. The White Sox were in first place for 161 games during the 2005 season before sweeping the Astros. They did, in fairness, share first place with the Tigers and Twins for (small) portions of the season. The ’02 Angels and ’97 Marlins, meanwhile, barely managed to escape our list by spending 12 and 11 days in first, respectively. 

So while the Nationals had a season for the ages in 2019, there’s yet more for this team to accomplish (if/when play resumes for the 2020 season). The Braves would seem to rule the roost, but the Phillies held a share of the NL East lead for 60 days of the 2019 season, and the Mets took the top spot for a cool 14 days. The Marlins’ 105-loss season didn’t share a ton in common with the Nats’ by the end of the year, but this fact they shared: neither managed to lead the division for even a day.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top