Veteran first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is retiring from Major League Baseball after 17 years in the majors.
Zimmerman, who spent his entire career with the Washington Nationals, made the announcement on Tuesday via his agency CAA Baseball.
In a letter, Zimmerman thanked the Nationals organization, his coaches, teammates, fans, agents, and family for contributions they made to his successful career in MLB. He also added that he will continue calling Washington his home and looks forward to moving forward with various community programs he started in the city.
“So this is not a goodbye, but more of a ‘see you around,'” Zimmerman concluded the letter.
Zimmerman didn’t get a huge sendoff from the Washington Nationals, considering that the teams and players are currently in a standoff over the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement. However, the team did pay tribute to their first draft pick in franchise history on social media.
“Ryan always carried himself with class, honor, and respect and played the game for the name on the front of the jersey, not the one on the back,” Mike Rizzo, the general manager of the Nationals, said in a statement. “I want to personally congratulate Ryan on a fantastic career and wish him and the entire Zimmerman family all the best in retirement.”
Ryan Zimmerman entered the MLB in 2005 as the Nationals’ fourth-round draft pick. He went on to play 1,799 games in the majors, helping the franchise win a World Series in 2019 and making two All-Star appearances. His career stats include a .277 batting average, 284 home runs, and 1,061 RBIs.
