Report: Ryan Zimmerman Contract Option Declined by Nationals, Will Be Free Agent

The Washington Nationals will decline first baseman Ryan Zimmerman's $18 million option for 2020, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Heyman noted the club is interested in bringing the longtime star back at a lower salary.

The 35-year-old has played his entire 15-year career in Washington after the Nats drafted him fourth overall out of the University of Virginia in 2005.

The two-time All-Star has smacked 270 home runs, knocked in 1,015 runners and posted a .818 OPS for his career. He has won two Silver Slugger Awards, finished among the top 25 in the NL MVP voting four times, won a Gold Glove and finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year race.

Washington has made the playoffs five times during his tenure. On Wednesday, the Nationals captured their first World Series title in franchise history by defeating the Houston Astros in the 2019 Fall Classic in seven games.

Plantar fasciitis kept Zimmerman off the field for much of the 2019 season, limiting him to only 52 games. However, Zimmerman was healthy enough to participate in the postseason, where he went 4-of-14 in the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The veteran smacked a three-run homer to help the Nats win Game 4, 6-1.