Still in the afterglow of their World Series victory, it appears that the Nationals are deciding to decline their $18MM club option on first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network (link). Catcher Yan Gomes will also have his $9MM option declined, while outfielder Adam Eaton ($9.5MM) and reliever Sean Doolittle ($6.5MM) will both see their 2020 options exercised, per Heyman (link).
As was suggested by our own Jeff Todd when Washington declined their option on Matt Adams yesterday, a decline of Zimmerman’s option was easy to foresee. Although he remains something of a franchise icon, the 35-year-old is several years removed from the kind of production that would warrant a salary approaching $20MM. A member of the club’s inaugural 2005 squad, Zimmerman was an All-Star in his heyday, logging a twin pair of 6.6 fWAR seasons in 2009 and 2010. However, the righty swinger has cobbled just 1.4 fWAR over the last two campaigns in spot duty, combining for a modestly above-average 107 wRC+ in that span. It would be not unthinkable for the club to bring him back as veteran depth on a more reasonable one-year term.
The club’s decision on Gomes also rates as rather predictable, even given a relative dearth of catching available on the free agent market this winter. After logging what appeared to be a rebound year with the Indians in 2018, Gomes came back down to earth with a .223/.316/.389 slash line across 358 plate appearances in D.C. this past season. Defensively, 2019 was an essentially mediocre campaign from the 32-year-old, with Baseball Prospectus’ Fielding Runs Above Average metric pegging him with a -1.0 FRAA. The Nationals will owe Gomes a $1MM buyout.
Heading into 2019, Eaton’s option may have seemed something of a toss-up after injuries robbed him of the majority of his 2018 and 2017 seasons. His production this past season was right in line with career averages, however, as his blend of high-contact, on-base ability made him an above-average offensive contributor (107 wRC+). He was merely a passable defensive option in the outfield corners (as his -0.8 UZR would suggest), but a .279/.365/.428 line with 15 homers and 15 steals is essentially tailor-made for the top of a team’s lineup, making his option a clear value.
Doolittle had an up-and-down 2019 that saw him lose sole ownership of the closer’s role in the season’s second half amidst injury and performance concerns. Still, the lefty’s 9.90 K/9 rate, 2.25 BB/9 rate, and 4.05 ERA across 60 regular-season innings represent acceptable relief production in today’s offensively inclined climate.
Possible end of the line for Zim?
He’s said he wants to play in 2020 and I think he’ll get his chances.
Maybe a Konerko type final year contract. 1 yr/$3 million.
Every year until he decides.
Not with a 26th man. He can still hit, and now there is room for a PH. He’ll play on the cheap, but definitely not done.
There is room to add Zimm. Adams is gone
Hopefully resign both,
I got my eyes on Grandal.
Suzuki caught in 85 games last year and will be 37 years-old in 2020.
If Gomes can get a good deal elsewhere, the Nationals will have to find someone that can share the catching duties. His BA and offensive stats were not all that important. He caught the 7th game of the WS and handled the pitchers professionally and well – as he did throughout the playoffs and during the season.
Stephen Vogt is a good fit. Lefty/Righty platoon. Vogt was often the better offensive option for Bruce Bochy compared to Posey in 2019.
My two boys back together again, only this time they’d get a full season <3
Gomes is a quality catcher.
Bring zim back let him finish out his career where it started
Zimmerman will be back on a 1/5M deal.
Suprised they declined the option on Gomes. Suzuki will be 37 next season. They need someone that can give him days off and still produce
Agreed, while $9.5M is obviously too high for Gomes given his numbers last year I still think that they’re better off with him on the roster than without him. especially given Suzuki’s age. But it’s quite possible they’ll try to bring Gomes back on a 1 year deal for less $ or maybe they have another backup C out there in mind they’re targeting. Sandy Leon? Could be an option if the Red Sox end up moving on from him. (As a Sox fan — his defense and ability to manage a staff is incredible — but his offense is equally the opposite of incredible!!) Could be a fit as the backup to Suzuki in WAS though — we’ll see.
Suzuki is the backup next year. His body really sent a message in the playoffs. He can catch Sánchez and Scherzer and the new guy can catch the other 3.
I think Yan Gomes will be lucky to get 9.5 over 2 years. It was a fairly easy decision to decline in my view. If they want him back they should easily be able to do so for less.
Zimmerman isn’t going anywhere unless it’s retirement. If the Nats don’t want him, he’s finished. Sure, he says he wants to play, but I think he really means he wants to play in Washington.
I expect Zimmerman to resign with the Nats here at a reduced rate.
I think that’s fair to expect. He’s done a lot for the franchise, he’s earned enough over his career to take a pay cut and they owe it to him to at least provide the opportunity at some rate
Last time I checked, Sean Doolittle was a lefthander. Did he switch?
Considering his decision to not attend the White House celebration, calling him a “righty” absolutely doesn’t fit.
Who wants go to crazy-town and eat McDonalds with that guy?
Hey, don’t knock free food. At least he pays for it himself, and doesn’t use taxpayer dollars.
I’d go. Plus, touring the historical parts of the city is a bonus.
except he actually doesn’t pay for it, the u.s.. taxpayer does.
but you keep telling yourself he actually pays for anything.
Lol. These guys arent there for a free meal. Trump has no time wasting taxpayer dollars to go golfing.
I do.
He’s about even or slightly behind Obama on rounds played this far into his term. Way behind on wasting people’s money!
Lol” touring the historical parts of the city is a bonus” His team plays 20 mins from D.C. I’m certain he’s seen all he wants to in DC.
I have no problem if he goes or does not but that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. If he wants to go it’s to see the WH with his teammates. I’m sure he’s seen the rest of DC plenty of times.
It fits, though. Apparently his wife’s family has switch-hitters so why not a switch-pitcher?
Was kinda hoping the Nats didn’t pick up Doolittle’s option due to his special feelings.
Special feelings ? Do elaborate.
I thing BG meant that a man who hates the president shouldn’t pitch in D.C.’s team.
Actually no. I don’t care if you like the president or not. Stop being special and go to the WH. Stick with the team the rest of the way. Leave the politics out of this.
Find another team you cretin
You can’t “leave the politics” out of a visit with the president. Doolittle has no obligation to go hang out with the president if he doesn’t want to. He celebrated with the team’s actual supporters today.
He has every right to decline the invitation. Guy has a backbone whether you agree with his politics or not.
Will you not attend your sister’s wedding if you hate her husband’s guts?
Maybe not, it depends on why I hate the guy. In any case, I don’t think you ever owe family anything just by virtue of them being family.
Similarly, I don’t think Doolittle owes it to his teammates to be there. They should respect his opinion.
@BumgarnerEqualsNLCS
Bad comparison. You do for family thing you wouldn’t do for others.
These players constantly refer to each other as brothers, spend 8 months out of the year together and just made memories, for themselves, for their fans and with each other that will last a lifetime. These players are not related by blood, but it’s not an unfair comparison like you’re suggesting.
I love the leave politics out crowd. Expressing such notions as though politics and sports haven’t been interwoven since inception or how it generally fits one narrative at the perfect time. Does anyone truly care? His rationale is completely understandable, and well spoken. I’m pretty sure his “brothers” will understand. And if we’re being honest the last couple years, season, months, etc somewhat culminated during their parade.
But hey what do I know, I bet nobody cared for the parade or postgame celebration, and were so jacked for a WH visit. God forgive Joc Pederson or any other player in similar circumstances if they ever had the opportunity and declined due to similar principles. The simple fact of the matter is you can’t take politics out of the WH, especially in this day and age. Damn Doolittle for having principles. How would his teammates or future teammates ever respect him for skipping a WH visit?
At the end of a crappy analogy, we know that players only train year after year to visit the WH. The playoffs, WS celebration, the parade ppppffftttttt who cares…..
Was there this much fuss when half the Red Sox declined the invitation to go last year? Or is just because Doolittle chose – eloquently- to the elucidate his opinion?
A. Politics and sport have a long history of being interwoven. B. If my sister married a sociopathic, bigoted, incompetent, narcissistic manchild who lied constantly then there may be cause to reconsider the wedding invite. Despite that being a silly, silly analogy to begin with.
They should have doubled his salary.
why?
because you’re such a little snowflake that you can’t handle something thinking the president is a scumbag?
funny, you types didn’t seem to care when magaturds had problems with obama.
it’s almost like you guys are hypocrites (oh wait, gop is the party of jesus. you guys are actually hypocrites)
The tolerant and caring Left ladies and gents. Mfm420 so eloquently stated but brutally spelled for us.
Putting children in concentration camps sure sounds Christian. And always playing the triggered victim card is really rich from the party of “personal responsibility”
So, are these children waiting to die(absolutely not), or are they being held to make sure they aren’t being exploited(makes a little more sense)? I mean, big difference. Blurting out “children in concentration camps” in the first sentence of your post while calling someone triggered is hilarious(and sad as well).
I know it’s a business but it just seems cold for the team to release a franchise icon who wasted so many of his best years on a team not good enough to win anything. I hope they take care of him. Can’t always be about the dollar.
I doubt that Zimmerman is going anywhere, he just isn’t worth 18 million at this point in his career.
Its an option for reason
Doolittle is a lefty
It’s a brave thing to be in a sea of braindead right-wingers
Brain dead right ? Coming from the guy who steals screen name from a television show. Original ♂️
Google it, you moron
Right, not brain dead, laughing hysterically at the response. Well done @wfw
Aint no politics in baseball.
I can also envision Zimmerman retiring with his ring and getting a newly made off field job with Washington as a thank you. He showed he can still come up big but may not want to do it anymore.
“Doolittle had an up-and-down 2019 that saw him lose sole ownership of the closer’s role in the season’s second half amidst injury and performance concerns. Still, the righty’s 9.90 K/9 rate, 2.25 BB/9 rate, and 4.05 ERA across 60 regular-season innings represent acceptable relief production in today’s offensively inclined climate.”
Hello Dylan, Doolittle is a leftie lefty.
while I would not do the same, Doolittle has perfect validation to not want to go to the White House. Better than those who dont want to go and offer nebulous and evasive answers as to why not.