Why did the Washington Nationals send C.J. Abrams to the minors?

The Washington Nationals surprised everyone by announcing that shortstop CJ Abrams will finish the season in the Triple-A affiliate. The infielder, who arrived in the US capital as part of the trade that sent Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres in 2022, was named an All-Star at the beginning of the year.

Manager Dave Martinez said Abrams’ demotion from the majors to the minors was not a performance issue. “I just want you to know it had nothing to do with his performance. It’s an internal matter, and I won’t give you any specific information.”

The demotion is attributed to a night at a Chicago-area casino. According to ESPN’s report, the 23-year-old was sent down to Triple-A because he spent an entire night away before the Nationals faced the Cubs on Friday morning.

According to the report, Abrams left the casino around 8:00 a.m. CT, and the game started at 1:00 p.m. The infielder went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in the morning game against the Cubs.

Still, the Nationals manager vowed to support Abrams. Martinez understands his primary job is to look out for the person, not the player. “I will support CJ. He’s a big part of the Nats family and will continue to be. But right now, this is the right thing to do.”

CJ Abrams' numbers in the Major Leagues

Abrams received his first All-Star selection at the age of 23, following an impressive first half of the season.

During the initial 89 games of this season, he hit 15 home runs and maintained a batting average of .268.

Yet, his performance has declined since then, with only five additional home runs and a decreased average of .246.