Nationals Face Final Stretch Without All-Star Abrams
As the Washington Nationals prepare for their final eight games of the season, they are doing so without their All-Star shortstop, CJ Abrams. The decision to send Abrams back to the minors came this past Saturday, a move that Manager Davey Martinez and General Manager Mike Rizzo emphasized was not related to his on-field performance.
Having secured a losing record for the fifth straight year since their 2019 World Series victory, the Nationals' recent demotion of Abrams has raised some eyebrows among fans and analysts alike. Despite his central role in the team's lineup, where he led the Nationals with 3.4 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), Abrams was sent down for reasons described as internal and non-performance-related.
"He was optioned to Triple-A, like a lot of players are. I'm just going to tell you what we've said in the media before, is that it was not performance-based," confirmed Rizzo. "We felt it was in the best interest of the player and the organization to do so. It's an internal issue that we're going to keep internal."
The 22-year-old Abrams ended the season with a respectable .246/.314/.433 slash line, hitting 20 home runs and swiping 31 bases. These numbers reflect his growing potential and importance to the club, making the timing of his demotion even more puzzling. Nonetheless, Rizzo stressed that the move was made with Abrams’ and the team's best interests in mind.
"It's a family matter that we keep in the family. Suffice to say, it's not the end of the world for CJ. It's not the end of the world for the Nationals. It's something that happens over the course of time, especially with young players. And we love CJ. We care for CJ. We're in constant communication with he and his agent," Rizzo added.
Since Abrams' departure, Nasim Nuñez has stepped up to fill the void at shortstop. The transition appears to be going smoothly, with the organization hopeful that Nuñez can maintain stability in the infield as they play out the remaining games of an otherwise disappointing season.
The demotion will cost Abrams approximately $36,000 in salary, although it will not impact his service time. He has accumulated enough days on the MLB roster this season to secure a full year of service time, which means his eligibility for arbitration and free agency remains unaffected. This logistics detail further underscores the Nationals' claim that the decision was made with broader considerations in mind.
"We have a standard here with the Nationals. When players don't reach those standards, we have to do what's in the best interest of the organization. But often, these things are done with the best interest of the player involved," Rizzo stated. "It's about teamwork and being a great teammate. When players fail to reach those standards, we have to do something to get them back into the mode of Nationals and teammate and big leagues and that type of thing. We felt it was warranted in this case."
The demotion of a player of Abrams' caliber, particularly one leading the team in WAR, is certainly a rare and significant event. Yet, Rizzo remains confident that this decision is part of the larger process involved in nurturing young talent within a rebuilding team.
"It's part of the process, especially on young rebuilding teams that these things happen. It's not the first time we've done it here with the Nationals, and probably, unfortunately, won’t be the last," Rizzo noted.
As the Nationals navigate these final games without Abrams, the focus remains on the future. The franchise is clearly emphasizing a long-term vision over short-term gains, hoping that the temporary setback for Abrams will yield long-lasting benefits for both the player and the organization.