Diamondbacks pitcher Mike Leake and Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and pitcher Joe Ross decline to play this season because of COVID-19 concerns.
But if Major League Baseball is able to launch a pandemic-shortened 60-game season in late July, the Nationals will defend their title without the 35-year-old corner infielder who was considered the heart and soul of the organization.
Zimmerman and Nationals pitcher Joe Ross, 27, have opted out of the abbreviated 2020 season “for the personal health and safety of themselves and their loved ones,” the team announced Monday.
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Mike Leake, 32, and Colorado Rockies utility man Ian Desmond, 34, also opted out of the 2020 season, both forfeiting $5.2 million in prorated salary.