Nationals Legend Retires From Baseball

After 17 years in the big leagues, all spent with the Washington Nationals, two-time All-Star and 2019 World Series champion Ryan Zimmerman is officially hanging up the cleats. 

"Mr. National" announced his retirement today after a winter of considering his options. 

Ryan Zimmerman has done more for #Nats baseball than any other player in the team's history.

He's been here since the beginning. He walked off the Braves on night one at Nats Park. He hit a solo homer in Game 1 of the World Series to get the team on the board. Thanks, Zim! pic.twitter.com/CjBV1V2k4f

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) February 15, 2022

Zim was the Nationals franchise's first-ever draft pick, at No. 4 overall, after they moved from Montreal to Washington in 2005. He began his career in the nation's capital with a September call-up that season, and went on to a career that featured 284 home runs, 1,061 RBIs, one Gold Glove, two Silver Sluggers, two All-Star selections, 11 walk-off homers, and, of course, the coup d'etat, the 2019 World Series title. 

He received a standing ovation in his final game at Nationals Park last October: 

He considered the decision for the last few months, with his wife, and finally decided it was time for a new chapter in his life. "I think my family deserves finally having me around. And not only having me around, but having me present," said Zimmerman. 

Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports