Washington Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman could still return

Although the Washington Nationals have acquired Josh Bell, they are still willing to bring Ryan Zimmerman back for 2021.

The door had seemingly closed on Ryan Zimmerman returning to the Washington Nationals. With their acquisition of Josh Bell on Thursday, there did not appear to be an opening for the franchise icon to return. If his career was to continue, it would have to happen elsewhere.

But that may not be the case after all. Despite Bell’s presence, the Nationals are still willing to bring Zimmerman back for another year.

Zimmerman could have a role on the Nationals for the upcoming season. The team does need to improve their bench and add right handed hitting. He would check both boxes.

The biggest question is how useful of a piece he would be. Zimmerman is essentially limited to playing first base or serving as a designated hitter in interleague games. As the universal DH has yet to become official in the game, his lack of defensive versatility limits how much Washington can actually use him over the season.

There is also a question as to how often he would be able to get into the lineup despite those defensive limitations. Zimmerman had appeared in just 137 games in the two seasons prior to 2020. Likewise, the Nationals will have to determine if he can still produce after taking the season off, as his .261/.331/.460 batting line with 19 homers and 30 doubles in that time frame was barely above average.

In theory, this is a solid fit. The Nationals would get that right handed hitter off the bench, and Zimmerman would be able to get that last hurrah with the only franchise he has ever known. He is also a known commodity in the clubhouse, a place that the Nationals take into consideration when putting their team together.

The Washington Nationals are still interested in bringing Ryan Zimmerman back. It is just a question of how much playing time he would actually receive should he return.