Short of playing for and winning a World Series Championship, Jordan Zimmermann had accomplished just about everything he could have hoped for when he made the unlikely jump from NCAA Division III baseball to the pros nearly 15 years ago.

He was a highly-touted prospect, one of the most talented young pitchers in the game. He pitched in All-Star Games and postseason contests and even threw a no-hitter.

But along with that elusive championship, there was one other dream Zimmermann wanted to fulfill before hanging up his cleats: the chance to pitch for the team he followed while growing up in rural Wisconsin.

Now that he finally got that opportunity, making a pair of appearances over the last two weeks for the Milwaukee Brewers, Zimmermann decided the time had finally come and he officially announced his retirement Tuesday morning before the Brewers opened a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals at American Family Field.

"It meant a lot (to play for the Brewers), said Zimmermann, a native of Auburndale, Wis. who played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in central Wisconsin. "I was honestly set to (retire) this offseason but then the Brewers called."

Injuries limited Zimmermann to just three appearances during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but the Brewers were in the market for pitching depth as they prepared to return to a full 162-game slate as well as a veteran presence for a talented, but young, pitching staff.

Zimmermann fit the bill and agreed to a minor league deal as spring training opened. Though he'd started all but two of his 277 career appearances, the Brewers transitioned him into a multi-inning relief option which Zimmermann admitted was a bit of a challenge. Zimmermann posted a 7.88 ERA in five Cactus League appearances and Milwaukee left him off its Opening Day roster but he agreed to sign another minor league deal and continue working at the team's Alternate Training Site in Appleton, Wis. — approximately 90 miles from his hometown.

After a month had passed without a call-up, and with the alternate site closing ahead of the start of minor league season, Zimmermann had instructed his agent to inform the Brewers of his decision to retire. Those plans were scuffled two hours later, when the Brewers asked Zimmermann to join the team after Corbin Burnes was placed on the injured list and with a chance to fulfill a life-long dream, he and his family made their way to Milwaukee.

Zimmermann made his Brewers debut on May 2 and gave up five runs while eating 3 2/3 innings in a 16-4 loss to the Dodgers at American Family Field. His second outing went much better, allowing three hits but no runs over the final two innings of a 6-1 loss to the Marlins.

As the Brewers returned home from a weeklong road trip that wrapped up a stretch of 17 games in as many days, Zimmermann decided he was ready.

"I felt OK on the mound but the bullpen life was tough for me," Zimmermann said. "Just playing catch then sitting down for 3-4 hours and all of a sudden the phone rings and you have to get hot. I've been used to starting my whole life, taking my time and knowing when I'm going to pitch at 7:10 or 1:10 or whenever the game starts. But all of a sudden getting a call at 9:30 at night saying you have to get ready because you've got the third hitter or whatever was tough. It was just time for me to call it a career and move on."

The Brewers' roster situation played into the decision, too. His callup came during a rash of injuries that included the loss of Burnes along with veteran left-hander Brett Anderson.

Anderson returned to action over the weekend and Burnes is set to return on Thursday, which would require a corresponding roster move. If Milwaukee wanted to keep Zimmermann on the roster, the team would have to send one of it's younger pitchers back to the minors, release another player or place Zimmermann on the injured list.

"I knew I wouldn't be (in Milwaukee) long but I want to be able to help them out and have those other guys get healthy," Zimmermann said. "I was happy I was able to do that."

He let manager Craig Counsell know of his decision Monday, during the team's off day.

"I understand where he was sitting on this," Counsell said. "I congratulate him on a great career. It was a brilliant career that he should be really proud of. It was a great ride for him, an incredible ride."

The ride began when the Washington Nationals selected him the second round of the 2007 MLB Draft. After going 10-3 with a 2.89 ERA for the National's High-A and Double-A affiliates, Zimmermann began the 2009 season as their top-rated prospect and made his major league debut on April 20, when he earned his first big league victory by holding the Braves to two runs over six innings.

Tommy John surgery brought his rookie season to a premature end but he returned late in 2010 and posted a 4.94 ERA in seven starts. In 2011, he returned to form with a 3.18 ERA in 26 starts and followed that by going 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA in 2012.

Zimmermann's breakout season came in 2013, when he earned his first career All-Star appearance, pitched two complete-game shutouts and led the National League with 19 victories. He returned to the All-Star Game again in 2014, while going 14-5 with a 2.66 ERA and on the final day of that season became the first Nationals pitcher to throw a no-hitter.

"My first couple of years we were losing 100 games," Zimmermann said of the Nationals. "To be able to turn that around and have some winning ball clubs and go to the playoffs a few times is something I’ll never forget.”

Detroit signed him to a five-year, $110 million contract after the 2015 season with the hopes that he'd anchor a pitching staff that had just lost ace Max Scherzer to the Nationals. He got off to a good start, posting a 0.55 ERA over his first month but was hampered by injuries throughout his time with the Tigers and posted a 5.08 ERA in 132 appearances over his five seasons.

Zimmermann became emotional when asked about his time with the Tigers.

"I just wish I would have stayed healthy," he said, fighting back tears. "I wish I could have gave more but my body just wasn't holding up."

The disappointment of not living up to the expectations of his lofty contact aside, Zimmermann said he has no regrets about his career, especially when he considers his journey.

"I guess my proudest thing would be as a small-town kid who played at a Division III school and made it to the big leagues," Zimmermann said. "That’s tough to do.”