Nationals give 15-year vet new $2M deal plus incentives

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some things are just destiny. Ryan Zimmerman and the World Series champion Washington Nationals are one of those things.

The Nats put the final touches on a $2 million, one-year contract that basically serves as a ‘forever’ extension, paid in yearly installments. As long as Mister Nationals For Life wants to keep donning those snazzy jerseys with that big curly W on the front, the Lerners will surely pony up a measly two mil.

You got someone better who can play first base at a gold glove level and give you 200 quality at-bats a year for less than $2 million?

Doesn’t exist. Not in Nats Town anyway. And there’s that whole beloved thing too. Nah. Zim isn’t going anywhere

Ryan Zimmerman’s Contract

Zimmerman, who is 35, has spent all 15 of his big league years in DC. He is obviously a millionaire many times over and will no doubt be pleased to stay in the neighborhood while getting a chance to more than double his base salary, if he meets all of his many performance bonuses.

The Nats would never trade Zimmerman of course, but yes, he has a full no-trade clause and the right to block trades; any 10-year veteran who has spent at least five years with his current team can do so, per Major League Baseball rules.

Injuries are logically the biggest concern with Zim, but then again, nobody is expecting him to go 150 games a season anyway. He was limited to just over 50 games in 2019, and if if the Nationals can get a few dozen more than that, they’ll be thrilled.

Nationals Manager Dave Martinez also has the luxury of newbie Eric Thames and savvy, clutch vet Howie Kendrick to spell Zimmerman throughout the season.

What that translates to for Zim is:

• enough games to keep the rust off
• plenty of pinch hitting at-bats
• absolutely no running whatsoever
• lots of health for another deep postseason run

That’s the idea anyway. And what a nice idea it is. Thanks to ownership from Nats Nation for saving drive-it Ryan.

I’ll let myself out.