In a surprising move, the Nationals have decided to option shortstop CJ Abrams to Triple-A Rochester, as reported by the Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli. Infielder Trey Lipscomb will be called up to take his place, according to The Washington Post’s Andrew Golden.
Nationals manager Davey Martinez explained to reporters, including Golden and MASNsports.com’s Dan Kolko, that Abrams was not being sent down due to his performance on the field but rather for an undisclosed “internal issue.” Abrams will not join Rochester for the remainder of their Triple-A season but will instead head to the Nats’ spring training camp in Florida to work out. Martinez confirmed that Abrams will not make another appearance in the majors in 2024 but remains a crucial part of the team’s plans for the present and future.
Just a little over two months ago, Abrams was representing the Nationals in the All-Star Game after an impressive first half of the season. However, his production has declined since then, with his statistics in the second half not measuring up to his previous performance. Despite this, the Nationals have made it clear that Abrams’ demotion is unrelated to his recent slump and is a result of the off-the-field issue.
Even though Abrams will miss the last nine days of the 2024 season, it is unlikely to affect his Super Two eligibility. As a player with less than three years of MLB service time, but in the top 22 percent of service time between two and three years, Abrams is on track to qualify as a Super Two player.
