Washington Nationals news & notes: CJ Abrams walks + more

Mar 21, 2023 - 5:30 PM

Washington Nationals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wqi5KatS18NiY_bVIidfUQMymDc=/107x986:1502x1771/1920x1080/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72098920/usa_today_20270323.0.jpg" />

Abrams’ Back:

C.J. Abrams missed four days of Grapefruit League action with tightness in his back, but the 22-year-old shortstop returned to action on Sunday afternoon, playing five innings against the Detroit Tigers.

Abrams went 2 for 2 with a double (on which he slid headfirst into second) before he was replaced in the lineup.

“He did really well,” Nats’ manager Davey Martinez said, as quoted by MASN’s Mark Zuckerman after the game, explaining it was part of the plan for the infielder to go just five innings in his first game back.

“He’s had a good spring,” Martinez added of the infielder, who finished the day 9 for 28 (.321/.333/.393) in 10 games this spring.

“He’s hitting the ball hard,” Martinez said.

“He’s facing a lot of lefties, which is awesome. We wanted him to do that. And he stays on the ball really well.”

Abrams, acquired from San Diego in the Juan Soto (and Josh Bell) trade with the Padres last August, debuted in the major leagues earlier in the year, while still with the Padres, then he played 44 games with the Nationals over the final two months of the season, and his new club is expecting big things from the shortstop in his first full season in the majors.

After Sunday afternoon’s game though, his manager said they just wanted to focus on the immediate future and get Abrams back out on Monday and make sure he’s back to 100%.

“We’ll probably do the same thing tomorrow,” Martinez told reporters, as quoted on MLB.com, of the plan for Abrams on Monday. “But it was good. He said he felt good to be back out there and running around and kind of test where he’s at. I asked him — he said, ‘I didn’t feel anything, I felt really good.’ So that’s good.”

In his second game back, Abrams went 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored on Monday night, (taking his 1st walk of the spring), and he is leading off and DHing for the Nationals this afternoon…