Ryan Zimmerman: 'Playing anywhere else would've been really weird' originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Ryan Zimmerman reaffirmed on Saturday what he said in December: He never wanted to play anywhere but Washington.
"Yeah I've never really completely ruled out playing somewhere else, but I don't think it really would've been worth it at this point in my career," Zimmerman said, in his first time speaking to the media since reaching a one-year deal with the Nationals earlier this week. "I just wanted to come back and play and have the opportunity to come back to help this team win. Playing anywhere else would've been really weird."
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With fellow first baseman Josh Bell now in the mix, Zimmerman said he knows his role won't be what it was during Washington's World Series-winning season in 2019 and before. He also recognized his role would hace been diminished had he not opted out of the 2020 season.
Now in the twilight of his accomplished career, Zimmerman said he was going to come back once a reasonable offer came from Nats general manager Mike Rizzo and company. To start over and uproot his life to play a similarly limited role elsewhere appears to have never been in the cards.
"It really wouldn't have been worth it," he said.
