Ryan Zimmerman considering sitting out 2020 season

Ryan Zimmerman may not take part in his team’s title defense in 2020.

Speaking on Friday with AP’s Howard Fendrich, the Washington Nationals infielder said that he was still deciding whether or not to play in the coming season. Zimmerman mentioned that he has a three-week-old infant and that his wife has multiple sclerosis, making her “super high-risk.” He also noted his concerns about the travel aspect of the shortened season.

Zimmerman, a career-long National, won his first World Series with the team in 2019, contributing a number of clutch plays down the stretch. He battled plantar fasciitis during the season however and will turn 36 later this year.

The ex-All-Star signed a one-year, $2 million deal to return to Washington over the winter. With his career winding down though and the Nats seeming likely to accommodate him if he would like to return in 2021, Zimmerman can certainly afford to sit out the 2020 season for the greater good if he so decides.