Washington Nationals great Ryan Zimmerman retires from baseball

Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Washington Nationals great Ryan Zimmerman, who helped guide the club to its World Series title in 2019, announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on Tuesday.

In a statement released through CAA Baseball, Zimmerman thanked the Nationals' front office, managers and coaches, medical staff, teammates, his agents and his family.

"Although my baseball career has come to an end, my family and I will continue to be heavily involved in the DMV community," he said. "You have given so much to us over the past 17 years; it is now time for us to give back to you.

"We look forward to continuing many of our community programs and starting new ones in the future. Our kids will be raised here, as this is now our home, and we couldn't be more excited."

The Nationals selected Zimmerman with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2005 draft soon after the franchise relocated from Montreal to Washington. He steps away from the diamond as the team's career leader in games played (1,799), runs (963), hits (1,846), total bases (3,159), doubles (417), home runs (284) and RBIs (1,061).

Zimmerman, a two-time MLB All-Star selection, recorded hits in 10 of the Nationals' 16 postseason games during their championship run in 2019. He also bashed the first World Series home run in Nationals franchise history during Game 1 against the Houston Astros.

In addition to that World Series victory, the 37-year-old Zimmerman captured two Silver Slugger awards (2009-10) and a Gold Glove Award in 2009.

"For 17 seasons, Ryan Zimmerman epitomized what it meant to be the Face of the Franchise," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said in a statement. "He was an All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner, Comeback Player of the Year and World Series champion -- but those accolades pale in comparison to his impact on our organization and in the community during his career.

"Ryan always carried himself with class, honor and respect and played the game for the name on the front of the jersey, not the one on the back. I want to personally congratulate Ryan on a fantastic career and wish him and the entire Zimmerman family all the best in retirement."

Zimmerman spent 17 total seasons with the Nationals, but he didn't play in the 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This past season, he had a .243 batting average with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs. He retires with a career batting average of .277.