Ryan Zimmerman signed a 1-year/$2M with the Nationals in January of 2020 that included incentives based on games played and plate appearances, but after starting up again in Spring Training 1.0, the 36-year-old, 15-year veteran opted out of heading back for Spring Training 2.0 and playing in MLB’s 60-game COVID campaign out of concern for the health of his family.
Zimmerman said at the time, and since, that he didn’t want his career to end like that, with a World Series win and then an opt-out, and this past Friday he signed another 1-year/$1M incentive-laden deal with Washington for what will be his 16th season since the Nationals drafted him fourth overall in 2005 with the then-recently relocated franchise’s first draft pick.