Ryan Zimmerman would rather stay in left field, but the Nationals need him at third base

Nationals manager Matt Williams has said repeatedly that Ryan Zimmerman will shift back to third base from left field once Bryce Harper is ready to come off the disabled list, but according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com “Zimmerman sounded like a guy that didn’t want to go back to third base.”

That assessment came after yesterday’s game, when Zimmerman said:

It’s fun out there [in left field]. It has taken some of the burden off of what I was feeling at third base. ... I’ll see what happens. I’m pretty comfortable in left and I think Anthony [Rendon] is a hell of a third baseman. I think there is no doubt right now he is better over there than me. But you have to have your best players in the lineup somehow. Whatever Matt needs me to do, that’s what I’ll do.

Zimmerman’s chronic shoulder problems made playing third base a struggle for him and meant any forceful throw across the diamond could lead to needing time off, so it’s easy to see why he’d be hesitant to move back there full time. Still, unless the Nationals were to, say, trade Denard Span to open up an outfield spot the only way to get their best players into the lineup together is for Zimmerman to play mostly third base.

It’s a moot point for a bit longer, but Harper is due back from the disabled list around July 1.

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