Ryan Zimmerman Reportedly Expected to Sign 1-Year Nationals Contract

After opting out of the 2020 MLB season, Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is reportedly returning to the diamond.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Zimmerman and the Nationals are expected to agree on a one-year, $1 million deal.

Should a deal wind up being finalized, the Nationals will once again have the greatest player in franchise history back on the roster.

Zimmerman was the first pick in Nationals history when he was drafted fourth overall in 2005. He made his MLB debut that September and became an everyday player for the team the following year.

He has spent the entirety of his 15-year MLB career in the nation's capital, posting a slash line of .279/.343/.475 with an OPS of .818. He ranks first in franchise history in hits (1,784), home runs (270), doubles (401), total bases (3,039) and RBI (1,015).

He ranks second in franchise history in games played (1,689), trailing only longtime Montreal Expo Tim Wallach (1,767).

Zimmerman has achieved a number of individual accolades during his time in Washington. Along with one Gold Glove and two Silver Sluggers, he finished runner-up for the 2006 National League Rookie of the Year award, earned two All-Star selections and received NL MVP votes in four seasons.

Though the team missed the playoffs for the first seven years of Zimmerman's career, the Nationals have been contenders during the back half of his career. They have reached the postseason in five of his last eight seasons, winning their first-ever World Series in 2019.

Zimmerman was a contributor to Washington's postseason success in 2019, hitting .255/.317/.418 with two home runs and seven RBI.

Although retirement was an option after the 2019 season, he wound up signing a one-year, $2 million deal to play in 2020. He did not suit up for the Nationals in 2020, however, as he opted out of the season because of COVID-19 concerns.

Zimmerman, who earned more than $139.8 million during his career, made it clear at the time of his opt-out that he was not retiring at that point. With the 2021 season right around the corner, it appears the 36-year-old is ready to give it another go.