Zim back with a bang: 5 games, 3 HRs

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- If Ryan Zimmerman had any rust from electing not to play last season, it looks like he shook it off before arriving to Spring Training.

The 36-year-old is back with the Nationals for his 16th season, and he has been displaying his veteran know-how at the plate.

In just five Grapefruit League games, Zimmerman has already belted three home runs. With that efficiency, he is tied for fewest plate appearances of any player with three or more homers this spring.

“He’s doing unbelievable,” manager Dave Martinez said. “He’s seeing the ball well right now.”

Cumulatively, Zimmerman is slashing .462/.500/1.231 with a 1.731 OPS. He has tallied four runs, six hits, one double, seven RBIs, a walk and two strikeouts. That production ranks him first on the Nationals in home runs and RBIs, tied for third in hits and fourth in runs scored.

The Nats’ all-time franchise leader in homers, RBIs, runs, doubles, and total bases inked a one-year deal in January. With a desire to return after watching his team from afar last season, he began working out in the fall in preparation for Spring Training.

“If I could just have 11 months off between every year, I’d be great every time I’m coming in for a new year,” Zimmerman said following his signing.

Zimmerman enters the 2021 season ranked 10th among active players in games played (1,689) and ninth in plate appearances (7,129). That experience is appreciated by his teammates.

“We love Zim,” said fellow 36-year-old Max Scherzer. “It’s great to have him back in the fold. We both get to joke that the old guys are back together, and we need him. He’s nice and old. Everyone wants to tear down the old guys -- and I get it. But it’s fun to see Zim go out there and still have success.”

This year, Zimmerman is set to back up Josh Bell at first base and complement the switch-hitter with a right-handed bat. He has shown this month that he doesn’t need to play every game to be effective.

“As he said, he doesn’t want to peak too soon,” Martinez said. “But it’s nice to see him swinging the bat the way he’s swinging [it]. My big thing is to keep him healthy going into April 1, and we’ll go from there.”