Just over two months ago, CJ Abrams played in the MLB All-Star Game.
Now he's headed to the minor leagues, but his play has nothing to do with that decision.
The Nationals shockingly released their star shortstop with about a week left in the regular season after it was reported that Abrams had spent the night at a casino near Chicago and left just hours before the Nationals were set to play the Cubs in a 1 p.m. game on Friday. According to ESPN:.
“I want you to know it wasn't performance-based,” Washington manager Dave Martinez told reporters. According to Andrew Golden of The Washington Post:“This is an internal matter. I will not disclose any details.”
Martinez added that Abrams, who was 0-for-3 with a strikeout and a walk in Friday's win over the Nationals, has reported to the team's facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, and will not play in the major leagues again this season.
Abrams has emerged as a key player for the rebuilding Nationals in recent years, making his demotion a strange turn of events.
Abrams batted .246/.314/.433 with 20 home runs and 31 stolen bases for Washington this season, but has struggled in the second half of the season.
The 23-year-old is batting just .203 with five extra-base hits in 49 games since the All-Star break, but he's performed well over the past two weeks, batting .324 with two home runs and three stolen bases.
In the first half of the season, Abrams batted .268 with 15 home runs.
Washington acquired Abrams, the sixth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, as part of a huge trade package that sent Juan Soto to the Padres at the 2022 trade deadline.
Abrams will play his first full major league season in 2023 and has established himself as the shortstop of the future in the nation's capital by batting .245/.300/.412 with 18 home runs and 47 stolen bases.
