“After a great deal of thought and given my family circumstances — three young children, including a newborn, and a mother at high risk — I have decided not to participate in the 2020 season,” Ryan Zimmerman said in a statement announcing his decision to opt out of the 60-game, 2020 COVID campaign this past summer.
Zimmerman, who turned 36 this September, signed a 1-year/$2M free agent deal with the Nationals last winter, after helping Washington win a World Series in his 15th season in the majors in 2019, but the 2005 first round pick decided against playing this year once MLB’s plan to play baseball during the coronavirus pandemic was announced.