Veteran Nationals infielder Ryan Zimmerman on Tuesday announced he is retiring from baseball after 16 seasons in Washington. He said in a statement released by his agency, CAA, and on the Twitter account of his family foundation. He said he will remain involved with the organization “in many ways” in the future, likely a reference both to the post-career five-year personal services clause written into his 2012 extension and his love for the franchise with which he won a World Series.News of Zimmerman’s retirement did not come as a complete shock. Zimmerman, 37, found success in a part-time role in 2021 (14 homers, 46 RBI and 104 OPS+ over 110 games) and made it through the season healthy. But he said at the end of the year, after experiencing multiple ovations over the course of the Nationals’ season-ending series at home, that he wanted to make sure he shared a moment with fans in case he didn’t get another chance. He left the door open to a reunion with the Nationals, as he did leading into 2021. But he explained that he wouldn’t know until the winter whether his body would be up to preparing for the rigors of a baseball season.Zimmerman signed his final contract with the Nationals in January 2021. He first joined the organization in 2005 as a first-rounder out of the University of Virginia. He was the Nationals’ first amateur draft pick after the franchise moved to Washington from Montreal. He made his major-league debut the same year. He didn’t return to the minor leagues again outside of the injury rehab assignments sprinkled throughout many of his prime years.Over the course of the 17 years that followed his debut, Zimmerman grew from bright-eyed young stud to oft-injured veteran, then World Series champion in 2019 and mentor to a new generation of Nationals. His awards — two Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove and two All-Star Game selections — may never do justice to the impact he left on a baseball-starved town."On behalf of my family and the entire Washington Nationals organization, we would like to congratulate Ryan on a tremendous career and thank him for his contributions both on the field and in our community," said Nationals owner Mark Lerner in a statement. "Ryan will forever be Mr. National. From the walk-off home runs, to carrying the World Series Trophy down Constitution Avenue, to the final day of the 2021 regular season when our fans gave him an ovation that none of us will soon forget, Ryan gave us all 17 years of amazing memories. We wish him, Heather, their four beautiful children and the rest of their family nothing but the best in all of their future endeavors.”Although injuries took a toll, Zimmerman ended his career as the franchise leader in games played (1,799), hits (1,846), runs scored (963) and RBI (1,061). His career .475 slugging percentage ranks fourth among retired Expos and Nationals players, his .816 OPS sixth, and his .277 average eighth. Zimmerman spoke in his final press conference as a player that if he were to decide to end his playing career, a major perk would be to be more present for his young children and wife, as the Zimmermans continue to live together in the DC area. He reiterated the sentiment in his statement.“To my kids, Mackenzie, Hayden, Henry and Benjamin: Thank you for teaching me that baseball is not even close to the most important thing in the world,” he wrote. “You guys changed my perspective on a lot of things and made me a better person. I am so excited to have the ability to be around a lot more, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for each of you.”Read his full statement here.(Photo: G Fiume / Getty Images)
