The Washington Nationals optioned shortstop CJ Abrams to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday in surprise move that was disciplinary based, according to manager Dave Martinez.
Instead of joining the Rochester roster in advance of the team’s final two games of the season this weekend, Abrams will be sent to the team’s facility at West Palm Beach, Fla., according to multiple reports.
Before Saturday’s road game against the Chicago Cubs, Martinez declined to go into details about why the move was made with just over a week remaining in the Nationals’ season. CHGO Sports, citing a source, said that Abrams was at a Chicago casino until 8 a.m. Friday morning and then went 0-for-3 with a walk in Friday afternoon’s contest.
“I had a conversation with CJ (Friday). We talked for a while,” Martinez said. “For right now, (the roster move) was the right thing to do. That’s all I really want to say about it. He going to be missed, as we all know, but it has nothing to do with his performance.”
Abrams is not expected to return to the Nationals this season.
Abrams, 23, is batting .246 with 20 home runs and 65 RBIs in 138 games this season. He had cooled off considerably in the second half, batting .203 with five home runs and 17 RBIs in 49 games, but was batting .476 with a 1.304 OPS over his last six contests.
Washington lost 7-6 to the Cubs on Thursday and 3-1 Friday with games remaining Saturday and Sunday. The Nationals have home series remaining against the Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies.
In 379 career games over three seasons for the San Diego Padres (2022) and Nationals, Abrams is a career .246 hitter with 40 home runs and 150 RBIs. The former No. 6 overall draft pick by the Padres in 2019 was acquired by Washington in the 2022 deal that sent Juan Soto to San Diego.
In a corresponding move, the Nationals recalled third baseman Trey Lipscomb from Rochester. Lipscomb made his major league debut March 30 and batted .207 with one home run and 10 RBIs in 58 games for Washington this season.
