In a surprising move, the Nationals optioned shortstop CJ Abrams to Triple-A Rochester, the Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli reports (via X). Infielder Trey Lipscomb is being called up in the corresponding move, as per The Washington Post’s Andrew Golden (X link).
Nationals manager Davey Martinez told reporters (including Golden and MASNsports.com’s Dan Kolko) that Abrams was optioned not for his play on the field, but rather “an internal issue” matter that Martinez didn’t discuss in further detail. Abrams will report not to Rochester for the last two games of the Triple-A season but will instead go to the Nats’ spring camp in Florida to work out. Martinez confirmed that Abrams wouldn’t appear in the majors again in 2024, but remains a big piece of the organization’s present and future.
It was just over two months ago that Abrams was representing the Nationals in the All-Star Game, as the 23-year-old was named to the NL squad as a reward for his outstanding first half. Abrams hit .268/.343/.489 with 15 home runs in 398 plate appearances prior to the All-Star break, and looked all the world like a breakout player in his age-23 season. As the sixth overall pick of the 2019 draft and the centerpiece of the trade package Washington received from the Padres in the Juan Soto trade, Abrams has long been seen as a future star, and the early returns of his 2024 season looked like a big step forward from his respectable performance in 2023, his first full MLB campaign.
Since the Midsummer Classic, however, Abrams’ production has tailed off. The shortstop has hit only .203/.260/.326 in 204 PA during the second half, and gone yard only five times. Abrams’ strikeout rate has risen from 20.1% in the first half to 23.53% in the second half, and his line drive rate plummeted from 23.6% to 7.8%. This decline in hard contact indicates that Abrams’ .243 BABIP since the All-Star break is more than just bad batted-ball luck, and his .307 BABIP in the first half wasn’t too far above league average anyways.
This extended slump notwithstanding, it is clear that Abrams wouldn’t have been sent down if it wasn’t for this off-the-field issue. Whatever the circumstances, the club deemed the situation serious enough to send this public message to Abrams as something of a wake-up call or a punishment. There is bound to be some speculation that the Nats might now look to trade Abrams, yet Martinez’s comments about Abrams’ importance to Washington’s future seemed designed to end such speculation before it even got off the ground. Going forward, Martinez feels Abrams “will be better” in the aftermath of the option.
Missing the last nine days of the 2024 season shouldn’t have any impact on Abrams’ Super Two eligibility. As a reminder, “Super Two” players have less than three years of MLB service time, but sit in the top 22 percent of service time of all players between two and three years, and as such are awarded an extra year of arbitration eligibility. Abrams entered the 2024 campaign with one year and 130 days of service time, and thus a full season on Washington’s active roster would’ve put him at the 2.130 mark — almost surely qualifying him for Super Two status based on the cutoff points over the last 15 years.
However, a player only needs to be on an active roster or the Major League injured list for 172 days of the 187-day season to qualify as having received one full year of official service time. As such, since Abrams has already been with the Nationals beyond the 172-day threshold, he has achieved one full year of service time for 2024 and remains on track to be a Super Two player.
Drewnasty65
Woah
MLB Top 100 Commenter
They sent CJ down and they kept Patrick Corbin on the roster.
RunDMC
Can Corbin be sent down? Even so, he is a free agent, so that’s polishing brass on the Titanic. Like Stras, only think of value left from that deal is having a good memory for future deals.
truthlemonade
Corbin can just be released. This is his final season under contract.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
I was merely commenting on the irony of it. I understand that it’s apples and oranges. One player has talent and is being taught a lesson, and the other gives it his all but at this stage in his career simply sucks.
IMHO, Patrick Corbin belonged in the bullpen a long time ago relegated to bulk mop-up duty. Kept only as a reminder to other players with high dollar contracts that you will not be quickly released to a life of leisure.
Rally Goose
They can’t sent Corbin down without his consent.
JoeBrady
Abrams was optioned not for his production,
chiefnocahoma1
Corbin didn’t stay up til 8AM on game day LMAO
Baseball Babe
Um, they made it clear this wasn’t about on field performance. Corbin has been a standup teammate and competitor. He takes the ball every single time, then faces the media and accepts responsibility good or bad. Pretty much the opposite of this situation.
Rally Goose
More importantly Corbin cannot be sent down without his consent. Abrams can.
Chris from NJ
They had to send CJ down. As bad as Corbin has pitched he didn’t party all night at a casino before a day game. Abrams has some growing up to do. I wonder if this is the start of a strained relationship between The Nats and CJ. Abrams and Gore were the centerpieces of the Soto deal and this year they both made strides. It will be interesting to watch.
Barb C
I don’t know if I would’ve sent him down, to be honest. Young guys may not realize there’s a possibility to become addicted to gambling, even at lower stakes (which I hope he was partaking in). He may have zoned out in the casino, also…this happens, and because clocks aren’t there, you may have no idea how long you’ve been in there. (Casinos do that on purpose.)
Maybe I’d not have him play again the rest of the season, or maybe I would. I would have him evaluated, though, to see if he has a potential gambling problem. That’s treatable if he’s willing to get treatment, though it’s going to take time and there may be relapses.
The other possibility about sending him down now could be this: If CJ has a gambling problem, this may not be the first time he’s done this. It may just be the first time he got caught by the media doing it. And if so, treatment is a whole lot easier to get when you’re out of the public eye and can concentrate on yourself to figure out just why you did something so self-sabotaging as that during the season.
Rally Goose
@Chris from NJ Once again, even if Corbin had done that he cannot be sent down without his consent. Abrams can.
Chris from NJ
Absolutely. But Abrams wasn’t sent down because of production. If Corbin could have been optioned he would have long ago. It’s all about money with Corbin not the case with CJ.
Chris from NJ
If he has a problem Barb he not only needs to be sent down, he needs professional help. Hopefully not the case. But a club can’t have a guy do that and not discipline him in some fashion. Something tells me this isn’t the first time CJ has had an issue. Just the way it was done leads me to believe there might be a problem here. Again hopefully not
JackStrawb
For the love of god. “He spent a night in a casino, mention gambling problems 3x!!!”
Barb C
That’s the only compassionate way to look at it, IMHO.
I hope it’s not the case, too.
I agree with the folks saying Corbin would probably have gotten away with this.
Thanks, Chris. 🙂
horaceallen
Wrong move. Corbin Carroll was miserable for months to start the year. Dbacks stuck with him and it has paid off. Nats crushing his confidence and for no reason.
JoeBrady
Abrams was optioned not for his production,
dcfan78
Makes me wonder if anyone actually reads the full article. It does quite clearly say not for his production.
padam
Reading is fundamental.
Captainmike1
People do not read, they skim and learn little
BaseballisLife
Which we all know is BS. His lack of production is exactly why he is being sent down. His lack of production may be a result of some other issue like gambling or alcohol which is why they are choosing to do it now.
layventsky
His lack of production is not the reason why he was sent down. He violated the team curfew by staying at a casino until 8AM.
layventsky
Correct. They then jump to the wrong conclusions and post on social media, propagating the spread of misinformation.
Larry Brown's crank
thank god….JoeBrady is on the case
horaceallen
Typical condescending response to someone who commented on the initial shorter article.
outinleftfield
Anyone that thinks that a MLB player would be punished just for missing curfew once, I have beachfront property in Arizona that I am sure you would be interested in buying.
This is a pattern of behavior or Abrams would still be in the majors today. He might have spent the game on the bench, but he would be in the majors.
Stop being so naive.
Goku the Knowledgable One
I don’t even think they skim . They literally just read the headline and immediately jump to the comment section for everyone to hear their opinion
Goku the Knowledgable One
Lmao show me the lack of production…
This is a punishment for off field behavior.
There was no lack of production. Batting close to .500 in his prior 10 games before being sent down
BaseballisLife
.203/.260/.326/.586 in the 2nd half. That is called a lack of production Unknowledgable One.
As I said, that lack of production may be the result of gambling or alcohol issues and the team is trying to scare him into getting treatment, but it’s the production that matters to the team. If you are hiring .303 with an .886 OPS they wouldn’t give a rat’s patootie if you went out past curfew at a casino just one time. This indicates an ongoing problem that is affecting his performance on the field. One they have undoubtedly addressed with him before.
Zombie Bukowski
Ya has nothing to do with his stellar .230 BA over .300obs.
RunDMC
Agreed, but also it could be a part of an extension negotiations that was reported to be ‘substantive’ as of May ’24. We’re at the end of the season when presumptively those talks would reengage, but you can already have a message before coming to the bargaining table. He started out really hot, but he really had a bad post-AS Break and his glove looks like he’s not a career SS (nor should be paid like one).
believeitornot
That’s why I think he should move to right field. Probably won’t happen though. They didn’t move Strasburg to the bullpen when he had that innings limit imposed after TJ surgery.
GarryHarris
More than once.
Barb C
It obviously wasn’t for his production. Anyone who watched Abrams this year (as I did, especially when he played my favorite team, the Brewers) knows he’s a special talent. My goodness, it had nothing to do with that talent.
outinleftfield
Barb, he hit .203/.260/.326/.586 with a 64 OPS+ in the 2nd half, 32% below league average. His prolonged slump combined with what the team has said was a long-term issue led to his being demoted.
stuart schlotterbeck
You don’t even know why he was sent down, only that it’s an off-field matter. It could be a mental health issue, substance abuse, a family matter, etc. If that’s the case, it’s better to address the issue now than in Spring Training. And it’s not like the Nats have anything to play for the rest of the season.
BillTheThrill10
He was sent down as a punishment for staying past curfew on a game day. He was at the casino til 8am, that’s his punishment is getting sent down.
DeepDownSouth
Just read he actually got yo ballpark just 1 hour before gametime.
Twoston
No, we know the reason. Jeff Passan was the first one I saw talking about it early this afternoon.
Goku the Knowledgable One
Gambling issue sounds like.
Which is sad , because that likely means he’ll be as poor and me or you after he retires
stymeedone
@horace
Nationals are not crushing his confidence. They are getting his attention.
YankeesBleacherCreature
They’re getting the entire team’s attention. You’re not above the rules even if you’re a young All-Star. Martinez stated that they both shed tears during their long meeting but the rules are the rules. His teammates also all had positive things to say about Abrams.
BaseballisLife
You don’t shed tears over a single time at a casino. You do that when there is a pattern of behavior that is affecting the team.
fox471 Dave
Did some of you neglect to read the part about this is not a production issue? It is an internal issue.
CrikesAlready
I’m surprised that the article hasn’t been updated to include the fact that he is being punished for screwing up and staying at a casino until 8:00 a.m. on a day with a 1:00 p.m. baseball game. Usually, those updates are included in the story at the top. Somebody is too lazy to do the update or they haven’t been sourcing their news from multiple places
This one belongs to the Reds
Internal issues may be where the team wants to leave it. Before the social media age, no one told tales out of school if they wanted to keep their access.
Besides, I don’t care where you’re having breakfast or what you are eating anyway.
Stevil
Well, if you already know the reason, along with virtually everyone else, is an update really necessary?
momTurphy
Trying to avoid super 2 status??? He’s been playing better in September than most of the year.
deepseamonster32
He’s already accrued a full season’s service time.
Armaments216
I think by this point in the season he already has a full year of service for 2024. It shouldn’t affect anything with his arbitration or free agency timeline.
brewpackbuckbadg
Does it make a difference if he is not up for a while next year too?
Armaments216
No, this shouldn’t have any long term effects. Shouldn’t even burn an option year since it’s for such a short time. Probably costs him a little pay though.
momTurphy
Knowing the full story now, it’s just a matter of him having made 25k-30k at the casino to break even haha
JoeBrady
“Missing this last week of the 2024 season shouldn’t have any impact on Abrams’ eligibility for Super Two status. ”
It’s in the article.
deepseamonster32
We all commented on the shorter, initial article.
JackStrawb
Well, I was commenting on the shorter, pre-edited comment!!
DeepDownSouth
He’s already super 2 status. Like 9+ games needed
hrush28
??????????????????????????
ohyeadam
Is his defense really that bad? Trying him at 3B or 2B? OF?
truthlemonade
The AAA season ends on Sunday. This seems like a punishment for off the field activity.
Barb C
That’s exactly what it is.
believeitornot
If they put him at second, they would move Garcia off second. I don’t see that happening. What is more possible and is something that should be considered is putting him in right field with Crews in centre. As for who his replacement would be at short,that’s another matter. Nunez is probably a better fielding shortstop with a better arm. He walks a lot and steals bases. Whether or not he could hit enough is a big question.
Brick House Coffee Tables Inc
But doesn’t the AAA season end on Sunday? So is this just a way to give him two days off and get an extra player on the roster?
jimmuscomp
I hope that’s it. That’s the only thing that makes sense.
Brick House Coffee Tables Inc
Probably a minor injury, not enough to put him on the IL and end his season.
Michael Chaney
They have two more roster spots in September and aren’t making the playoffs, so they could afford to play a man down for a week.
If he was actually injured and they sent him down, they’d absolutely be getting a grievance filed against them.
deepseamonster32
BHCTInc, they can’t recall him for 10 days, barring an injury replacement.
Armaments216
If they put him on the IL his season would be over. This way they can recall him if needed as an injury replacement.
jbigz12
This feels like he did something off the field to piss someone off.
layventsky
He did. He violated a team policy.
DeepDownSouth
He’s not getting called back up. Stay at casino all night & didn’t get to park until 1 hour before game
gholly618
Don’t you bother to read
Brick House Coffee Tables Inc
Some of us posted here before the casino tidbit was reported.
Longtimecoming
2 days of riding a bus at a lower pay scale and then sending him home to get head right. See you in February.
JackStrawb
Nah, it’s a way to let the kid know his team is taking this very seriously, and that it had damned well better not happen again.
bjhaas1977
Linder fans are disappointed yet again!
bjhaas1977
Lindor
TrumpisMyGawd
Stepped on it bro
JoeBrady
I’m disappointed I didn’t draft him in my rotisserie league.
bhambrave
Disrespect.
Rsox
What kind of service time manipulation is this supposed to be?
deepseamonster32
None. He already completed 172+ days.
DeepDownSouth
None. He’s already super 2. Stayed out all night at casino. Got to park 1 hour b4 game started
Rsox
If that’s the case then you can bet your Shohei’s that this will be a problem around the league when the A’s move to Vegas
Samuel
You mean like the Raiders constantly have?
JoeBrady
Not for nothing, but LV is not the only city with a casino, and you can now wager on-line.
emt126
Hey Swoops. Know your facts!
cpdpoet
Uh oh……
SanDiegoSuperDissapointingPadres
Hey, if the Nat’s want they can send him back home to SD! Bogarts has been below or at average at best throughout his contract with the Padres.
I Believe We Can Win
4.4 war last year is below average?
stymeedone
You tell me. What does XB average? It could very well be below average for him.
JoeBrady
throughout his contract
========================
I believe you missed that part of the comment you addressed. When you sign someone starting at age 30, you only have 2-3 prime years. If you have a 5.5 thru his first two prime years, it will likely turn out pretty weak.
JackStrawb
Muted for STILL not knowing when a baseball player’s prime typically arrives and departs.
No excuses, man.
Rally Goose
That you filihok?
PadreB2011
What an idiotic comment!
Samuel
PadreB2011;
Most on this board are.
A bunch of SJW’s that twist everything and then accuse people going about their business to be some sort of evil doers.
It’s getting old. Heck, my Mute file has over 100 handles
in it.
MWeller77
Samuel: Are the “SJW” in the room with you right now?
I have rarely encountered someone who is confidently and loudly wrong as consistently as you.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Samuel
Not sure if you are using SJW for single Jewish woman or social justice warrior. If it is the former, that’s offensive. If the latter, SJW is what the right often calls people who march for civil rights.
stuart schlotterbeck
I’m guessing he meant Sports Journalists Wannabes.
MWeller77
Exactly, MLB Top 100. People who use “woke” and “SJW” as pejoratives are just telling on themselves.
davemlaw
Hoping Abrams asks to be traded in the offseason.
Nats handled this badly. You don’t do this to a young star.
The guy has hit .500 over the last 7 days! 3.4 WAR on the year.
Nats, you messed up!
SF Giants are ready to send you Luciano and a couple nice young pitchers RIGHT NOW.
Travis’ Wood
Lol
TrumpisMyGawd
Send us Bryce and it’s a done deal.
njbirdsfan
Well we know for sure he wasn’t a Trump owned casino, seeing as they’ve all gone bankrupt.
TrumpisMyGawd
He’s been warned multiple times about off-field stuff.
Rally Goose
Source?
JoeBrady
davemlaw34 mins ago
Nats handled this badly. You don’t do this to a young star.
=========================
Just asking for society in general, but shouldn’t you find out what happened before passing judgement?
stymeedone
@joebrady
What will you be demanding next? That people read the article before posting?
fox471 Dave
Crazy ask, right?
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Agree, but do remember that sometimes the articles are posted with few details and then updated with more information
davemlaw
What happened is the Nats just publicly humiliated their All Star Short Stop. Instead of handling whatever it was privately they’re making this young man do a perp walk.
CJ should make a statement, asking for a trade or never play under the current regime again. He got over $5M as a first round pick, he can wait out the Nats and go play for a team that shows him more respect. Aside from felonious behavior he should never have been disrespected this way.
If Trea Turner had committed the same unknown misstep he would have been treated better.
allforfunnplay
Unknown? It’s well known what he did. Look it up on the internet….or I dunno…look at some of the other comments.
Handle things internally? Like what, a stern talking to? Writing on the chalkboard? If this guy is too much of a primadonna to follow the rules and has been warned many times; then public humiliation is a reasonable consequence.
GooseGoslinGuy
Martinez actually handled it diplomatically and with concern for Abrams. If he is out gambling until 8 a.m. prior to a day game, the team is entitled to inquire. Martinez met with him and made a discreet statement to the press. If a young Trea Turner did this, the manager would want to know and similar action might be taken. Besides, the gambling thing is such a drag in pro sports, and when a player is doing it, it’s not a good look. I trust Martinez. He’s a grown-up.
fox471 Dave
Nonsense, davemlaw. Stop trying to defend the indefensible. He made a dumb mistake and got paddled for it. These guys aren’t working for free, regardless of their salary. Hopefully, he learns something.
JoeBrady
Instead of handling whatever it was privately they’re making this young man do a perp walk.
======================
You’re at a casino. People see you. People see when you return to the hotel. Everyone knows when you show up late.
gholly618
This was not the first time and he had been warned.
Ted
Good. Break the rules (repeatedly, most likely) and you deserve to be humiliated and perp walked. Quit acting like CJ is some kind of victim here.
JackStrawb
So what do you do when the player has done this repeatedly and ignored warnings even after you promised this kind of consequence?
Rally Goose
There is no waiting out in MLB.
Jack Bruno
Abrams was allegedly at a Chicago-area casino all night on Thursday into Friday morning…if true, it’s safe to say that Abrams didn’t handle it well.
DeepDownSouth
Don’t blame Nats. Je stayed at casino all night & didn’t get to park until 1chour b4 game. He’ obviously has gambling issues & he’s a dummy
MWeller77
There is some irony in calling someone else a “dummy” in a post where you wrote “1chour” and “Je stayed at casino.”
JackStrawb
He briefly thought he was French.
fox471 Dave
Davemlaw: yeah you do.
stuart schlotterbeck
The Nats did the right thing! This is how you teach a young player the importance of being responsible for following team rules. If they don’t correct his behavior now it will continue to happen. Look at the example of Domingo German’s alcohol abuse.
ThatOneCubFan
Before we start digging at the Nats,
Apparently, Abrams was out until 8 AM this morning at the Casino
bjhaas1977
Wow!
ohyeadam
Going out and having a good time with friends is a good thing. Out until 8am on a game day not a good sign. Maybe they don’t test players at spring training camps for recreational substances
truthlemonade
Where? National Harbor? How did you find this information?
ThatOneCubFan
Report from Cody Delmendo on twitter
ThatOneCubFan
TalkNats also saying he has had warnings about off-the-field issues
TrumpisMyGawd
Cody Delmendo, a blogger at CHGO Sports
refereemn77
Also reported in The Athletic now
deepseamonster32
hot night at the craps table can make a guy lose track of time. plus they don’t have clocks.
cheapseater
deepseamonster32, do Chicago casinos even have craps? Most around the country don’t.
deepseamonster32
well the big casino near me does, but I don’t go much. The absurd power bill for their Christmas light display suggests they’re taking in a lot more than they’re giving out…
DeepDownSouth
I’m from Louisiana & our casinos have crap tables in parking lot.
hiflew
But do they ban watches? Or phones? Just because there is not a clock on the wall doesn’t mean you should be excused for knowing the time.
runningwithnailclippers
Pretty sure he can afford a watch. 🙂
truthlemonade
If you’re making this up, you should be ashamed.
I now see that the Nats are in Chicago. So, if he really was out until 8am, that is always horrible, but the Nats and Cubs have a game scheduled for 2:20pm.
I wonder how often MLB players party into the not-even-that-wee-hours and play the next night?
Rally Goose
Was reported by Cody Delmondo on Twitter. So unless ThatOneCubsFan happens to be Delmondo’s burner he didn’t make this up.
JoeBrady
Out at a casino until 8AM is a problem for virtually everyone. I’ve been to many casinos, but someone gambling until 8AM is not only a problem for the team, it could represent a serious addiction problem.
refereemn77
Being reported in The Athletic now too
DeepDownSouth
I read he arrived at park 1 hour b4 game
SteveFinleyEnthusiast
Out until 8am, with a day game at 2:20 EST. Yikes.
Love CJ, but not a good look. Hopefully this is a wake-up call.
deepseamonster32
I’m curious if this even costs him an Option year, since he’s already past the 172 day service year threshold.
Slider_withcheese
Caught a case of the Miami Flu while in Chicago
DM_Nats
For those that don’t know he was out until 8 am at the casino before a 2pm Friday game.
I love CJ but that just can’t happen. Especially as one of (or soon to be) leaders on this team. Respect Riz and the organization for making this move honestly.
qbert1996
This has to be a punishment of some kind. Doesn’t make any sense otherwise.
refereemn77
It does seem to be a reaction to player off-field issues
Gwynning
Not trying to be a jerk here… but this may be misinterpreted as a dig.
Merrill > Abrams
Rally Goose
Has Merrill ever stayed out at a casino until 8 AM the night before a game?
Gwynning
Idk Goose, nor do I care. I’m just judging their ball skills, and subsequently, their team fit.
SteveFinleyEnthusiast
I like them both as players, but definitely seems that Merrill is a better fit for the Friars from what we’ve seen so far. CJ is very talented and has a ton of promise. Hopefully, he uses this as a moment to reflect and learn.
Gwynning
Well said Fins!
Rally Goose
Surely their work ethic and abstaining from vices like drinking, gambling, hookers and the like counts for something, no?
gbs42
Does that matter?
Gwynning
It was the rumored provision of the Soto trade, GBS. Abrams or Merrill was the call.
I Believe We Can Win
Do players you keep vs don’t keep in trades matter?
Yes. Yes it does.
gbs42
I was unaware Merrill might have been an alternative part of the Soto deal instead of Abrams. That certainly would matter.
GooseGoslinGuy
Silly to speculate. The Nats needed a shortstop and Abrams was a blue-chip prospect. He has a lot of talent and let’s hope this is a blip on his radar screen.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
4.1 to 3.4 WAR favors Merrill.
But with Kim departing, both would have been nice.
I see them both as huge assets.
gbs42
0.7 WAR in one season doesn’t say much about who is better now or will be in the future, though both of them being well above average is encouraging now and for the future m
JoeBrady
Merrill > Abrams
=================
As a player, I agree.
But from another angle, had they kept CJ, then one could argue that they’d have CJ’s 6.8 bWAR instead of Bogaerts’ 5.4, and they’d have another $285M to spend.
BaseballisLife
Merrill was a shortstop.
Gwynning
Good point JB, but I’ll forever be of the mindset that X was a Peter Seidler “want”
I think Preller would have been fine with no Soto and no X. Fun fantasy mind exercise, we’ll never know the truth.
Brew88
Unless those not telling eventually tell
Gwynning
“I Kept the Faith”
My Years as Padres POBO & Champion GM
Written by AJ Preller
Super2
My ears are burning
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
MF YOURE TELLING ME I OVERPAID TRADED FOR A GUY THAT GETS OPTIONED IN FANTASY
Besides my absolute anger I don’t know what he will learn in triple A
mlb1225
Maybe he’ll learn not to stay out all night gambling?
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
This comment was before that information was released
mlb1225
It was reopoted around 1PM he was at a casino until 8 AM and many comments before yours also reiterated that.
dcfan78
He’s being moved to the Florida spring training camp not Triple A
JoeBrady
He’ll learn to curtail his gambling habits.
DeepDownSouth
Hes not going to TRIPLE A. He’s going to where the youngest ones go.. park behind spring training parks
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Man I’m sorry but this comment was made literally when it only said they were optioning him
Rishi
Are people who watch him play really that surprised? He seems unfocused on defense and immature in general. Immature in a certain way.
warnbeeb
When James Wood came up I thought there was a little “friction” between Abrams and Wood. At first, I thought it was Wood’s lackadaisical style. He made the plays, he hit, he ran…but often on routine fly balls he’d lob the ball back to the infield. He didn’t hustle out and back to LF; stroll from the on deck circle to the plate, sometimes dragging his bat like it was too heavy and I noticed Abrams jawing with him a couple times and thought maybe C.J. was telling him to get more professional. On the July 4 game vs the Mets Wood lob bounced a couple throws back into the infield that Abrams had to short hop to catch and Abrams appeared to let him know he wasn’t happy. It had no impact on baserunners, etc. as the Mets were getting mostly no-hit that day. Wood didn’t go hard for a foul ball that fell in foul territory rather than make the stands too. They ended up with 1 hit.
I thought Wood was the bad apple. Now, I’m no so sure that it wasn’t Abrams. The Nats have a decent, young core of players, but they do not appear to have an on-field vibe to them. The manager has to get this under control.
Zombie Bukowski
Abrams and his stellar .300 OBS.
3.4 WAR on a very bad team.
Saint Nick
For anyone wondering..apparently he was out at the casino until 8 AM before a 1 PM game.
Clofreesz
CJ, you’ve seen what happened to Tucupita Marcano, Andrew Saalfrank, and Michael Kelly. Don’t ruin your career like this.
Gwynning
Didn’t ruin Shohei’s though! Jk jk I kid i kid
fox471 Dave
Oh, here we go. Have to impugn Ohtani just because, right.
Gwynning
Nah Dave, my hat’s off to his legitimately awesome season! Hurts to watch your Blue unis, but he’s fun to root for. That game in Miami was reedonkulous.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Everyone knows that Shohei plans his sleep regularly. If Shohei gambled, he did not let it interfere with sleep and game preparation.
its_happening
Thank goodness he got his 8 hours per night while loading up on the over.
leftcoaster
Odd
dopt
Seems like the Nats need a clubhouse mini casino. Let him gamble until Batting practice at least
findingnimmo
He’s an idiot. Grow up buddy!
3 finger split
Best move AJ Preller made was trading this guy…all the signs were there that he had some
“Character Issues “ besides the fact he was pretty immature when he came up with the Padres. Had they kept him then the Jackson Merrill story doesn’t happen as the Padres wanted him to play CF…I will take Merrill any day of the week over Abrams. Hope he gets it figured out otherwise he isn’t going to be much more than a utility guy. He really didn’t have game situation awareness and made plenty of mental mistakes…not covering a bag, not playing cutoff position and throwing to the wrong base and then told Machado how to play his position…that went over really well
YourDreamGM
I am sure they would have found somewhere for Merrill to play if CJ was still there.
Zombie Bukowski
Don’t miss Abrams. He is not a leadoff hitter with a .300obs and probably isn’t a SS.
Good WAR numbers but in a bad team.
hiflew
This move makes it even more mind-boggling that he was picked for the All Star Game over Ezequiel Tovar.
Paleobros
He was cropdusting in the clubhouse.
straightuphonestguy
I hope Abrams gets some help gambling addiction is no joke.
Longtimecoming
In all fairness not saying he had an addiction. Just stayed out after curfew which is a big no no gambling which is akin to a big no no.
When to go home is where he needs the help for sure.
straightuphonestguy
That’s fair. He’s young and rich. I just hope he’s being careful with his money.
Longtimecoming
Yep he should seek some guidance from a vet. Reminds me of Barkley telling the story of how he would be broke of Dr J had not pulled him aside in rookie year. Yet, the youngun has to actually listen!
Hopefully, he isn’t one of those guys that loses it all!
YourDreamGM
If CJ could hit like Ohtani they wouldn’t care if he lived at the casino. Also would make a extension really easy to get done unless he is by some chance turning a profit.
JoeBrady
Welcome to the real world. Ohtani has a $700M contract and is even more important to MLB than that. I’ve seen this over and over in my world. The rules are not always the same.
James Midway
Out at the casino all night huh? Just blame Ippei
James Midway
If anyone knows the law, Carl Winslow does, he helped John McClain and kept Chicago safe for all.
Zonedeads
This is dumb and no team should be giving any grown man a curfew, especially a trash org like Washington.
BigBallsLongBat
Ok C.J.
Zonedeads
What an original comment, idiot
Longtimecoming
Such a bonehead view of how things really work in life.
Zonedeads
How things work in life? You sound dumb and probably make no decisions in life
fox471 Dave
How many 12 year olds are signed up for this website. Mickey Solis for sure and, now I reckon Zonedeads.
JoeBrady
Sorry dude, but you sound weak.. BB requires a skill set that is impaired by lack of sleep. Even if just for his own sake, he needs to take responsibility.
Longtimecoming
Zone – get out of mom’s basement and get a job and you will see.
getrealgone2
It really is bizarre how people behave on this site.
Zonedeads
The people who need others to give them curfews and bed times in order to succeed and perform are the weak ones.
Zonedeads
lol was that supposed to be funny? We can exchange LinkedIn profiles or whatever else you would like. I assure you I’ve accomplished more in life than you.
Longtimecoming
The person who fails to understand that you should never say you have achieved more than another person for who you have no idea the level of accomplishment that the unknown person may have achieved shows your immaturity in life.
You go ahead and pat yourself on the back though.
Zonedeads
Something a loser would say. Prove me wrong.
Brew88
Zoney is a keyboard dreamer
Longtimecoming
I know you are but what am I? Prove me wrong because I said it first!
Gwynning
Go ahead and post that LinkedIn, Zoner! I can tell you mine says I capped out at AAA, but let’s see yours first. 😉
YourDreamGM
He’s the employee. Needs to follow employer rules or he can quit and find another career. Just like anyone else.
mlb1225
Doesn’t matter if there’s a curfew or not. Most employers are going to frown upon their employees going out to casinos all night and into the morning when they’re scheduled to do their job at 1 PM.
Zonedeads
That sounds ridiculous! Find a career and not some low level job and you’ll realize your employer doesn’t care how late you were out the previous night no matter what time you’re scheduled to start.
Longtimecoming
“You have been up all day / evening with work, then spent another 8-10 hours drinking and gambling at a casino, but you think you are performing my surgery in 30 minutes? No thanks.”
Just the first example that came to mind.
Which career did you have in mind?
YankeesBleacherCreature
@Zonedeads All the great pro athletes have attributed their success to being discplined about getting enough sleep – LeBron, Jordan, Brady, Ohtani, etc. It’s not unheard of that some even take naps after practice. A curfew isn’t designed to limit their freedom but intended to put players in position to play optimally and be successful.
Baseball4lifer
Cubs are plays the Nats today and Cubs announcers are saying CJ was out enjoying the night life til wee hours of the morning when they had a day game in a few hours, so was demoted to send a message. Don’t know if accurate but that’s what announcers said.
jimmertee
I wonder if he has substance abuse issues. Given his production fall off my guess is yes.
Hope he gets the help he needs.
Old York
Guy’s cooked. Buh bye!
920falcon
Tony’s are ok, but I generally go for Totinos. Neither are all that great.
LLGiants64
This is more serious than a curfew violation. Anyone that thinks it is solely because of a curfew issue is missing the big picture. You get fined or suspended for a game for that. This is something more serious. Good for the Nationals for being proactive and being there for the young athlete.
fox471 Dave
Mr. Winslow, did Shohei refuse to give you an autograph, insult your wife? Your vituperative attitude and comments are breathtaking.
paddyo furnichuh
Haha you thought Carl had a wife!!! Too funny fox471
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Let’s not confuse television characters, the actors who portrayed them, and commenters who use their name.
And whether someone is straight or not is rarely an appropriate subject for laughter on an internet blog.
Finally, it is also ok to be unsure whether Shohei gambled or not.
bucsfan0004
How much was he stuck? Nobody gambles until 8am because theyre on a “hot streak”.
kingbum
Speak for yourself I have numerous times….I have played poker 72 straight hours outside of meals
JoeBrady
I’ve stayed at some late (but lucrative) games watching minutes click off the clock. But I would pack it in at some point. This feels like he was stuck.and trying to get even.
Like everything, there could be an explanation, but there seldom is.
kingbum
I think this was the only way Washington can essentially fine him 30k….I think that’s what this really is
GO1962
Had Abrams been with the Royals in the 1970s or the Cardinals in the 1980s, Whitey Herzog would have traded Abrams without divulging to the public that there was some off the field issue.
yeasties
Whitey Herzog also didn’t have to worry about social media, viral phenomena, and every person in society carrying an internet connected camera
Moneyballer
I guess he lost 30K playing blackjack after all.
Oldguy58
CJ said he had nothing to do with any internal issue, it was his interpreter
SweetBabyRayKingsThickThighs
Hey everyone did you hear he was out at the casino until 8 AM before a 1 PM game??
Non Roster Invitee
Gambling by pro athletes is a huge problem. One that will really raise it’s ugly head in the near future. Too much $.
kingbum
Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley handled it fine….It can be done
Armaments216
Lesson learned. Next time just stay in the hotel and spend the night betting online via one of the frequent league sponsors.
920falcon
Amen, brother. Ok, not to go down this rabbit hole-but, they ban Rose and Jackson, yet they are so in bed with the betting services, to the point that every other commercial is for betting on the games. Yeah, Abrams broke curfew and it doesn’t play well, publicly, and I have a hard time defending it, but he could have been in his bed gambling online until 8 am and nothing would be said.
getrealgone2
What is with the nut jobs on this site that adopt some gimmick to post with. Are people that immature?
johncal25
Hard to fathom that this article wouldn’t mention why he was sent down. Multiple online reports and pictures showed him gambling at a Chicago casino til 8am when they had a 120pm game the same day.
JoeBrady
Hard to fathom that this article wouldn’t mention why
========================
It’s one of the few things that annoy me about this site. It feels like they go out of their way to be pro-player.
Brick House Coffee Tables Inc
The first post was that he was being sent down and nobody was sure why. Then a little while later the tweet came out that Abrams was seen at the casino until 8am, and the post was updated.
Bobby smac9
It’s a wake up call. Wake up, it’s your call.
Huh???
This is a symptom of the MLB promoted non-competitive business model where mediocrity is the most profitable approach rather than striving for Championships. If your production doesn’t matter, its harder for a player without immense inner discipline to strive for greatness in a mediocre industrial and organizational structure – Abrams and the Nationals need to decide where they want to be on the competitive spectrum. This may be a good sign for both but now we need to see significant action from both to break from their current chosen path of mediocrity
Fred McGriff HR
Imagine if people in society were punished or disciplined for their ‘misbehaving’ or crimes that they committed….
Niekro floater
Trying to get his attention before he may become problem off the field, a lil negative reinforcement is good for the soul.
Non Roster Invitee
Different rules for different players. Mantle would drink all night and show up hungover and hit two homers.
I wonder if the Nats were in the playoffs,Abrams would be treated differently.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Does Dave Martinez really to be referred to “Davey” i knew ge responds to that hams but I didn’t know it was his preferred name to call him.
McNasty1
Abrams has a Lastings Milledge trajectory
TheStevilEmpire1
It’s not far fetched to see a trade this off-season. Nationals need value for him before the situation becomes publicly toxic.
baseballpurist
Apparently lost 180k playing roulette until 8am…
Mekias0
An all-nighter at a casino. I’ve done that before. Those places are designed to keep you wired and unaware of the time. That being said, they had a game 5 hours later and that would piss me off if I was his teammate. Hopefully he learns from this.
rememberthecoop
Mark, it’s not surprising. Just update the article please.