Abrams was removed from Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros in the bottom of the first inning due to an apparent injury, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

After leading off the inning with a triple, Abrams appeared to crouch down in discomfort once he reached third base. He motioned to the team trainer to examine him, and after a brief checkup, Abrams was pulled from the contest. The Nationals should provide more details on Abrams' injury later Wednesday.

Abrams went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

The shortstop took Paul Blackburn deep in the third inning, giving Abrams his first homer of the spring. He's batting just .217 (5-for-23) so far in Grapefruit League action, and while he has yet to strike out, Abrams also has yet to draw a walk -- something the Nats are looking for him to do more consistently in 2025 as the team prepares to make him the leadoff hitter. The 24-year-old's fantasy upside is undeniable, as he's racked up 38 homers and 78 steals in 289 games over the last two seasons, but his .245/.307/.422 slash line has plenty of room for improvement.

Abrams' slow start to spring training isn't a concern yet for the Nationals, Bobby Blanco of MASN Sports reports.

EDGE Analysis

The shortstop's issues on and off the field late last season, which prompted a demotion to Triple-A Rochester, have put a spotlight on his performance early in camp. So far Abrams has struggled, going 3-for-19 (.158) through six Grapefruit League appearances with zero strikeouts or walks, but it's the latter the team wants him to focus on. "We know he's got some power. We want to make sure that it doesn't transpire into just him trying to hit home runs all the time," manager Dave Martinez said this week. "We need him to get on base for us. If he's going to lead off, he's got to be able to get on base, accept his walks. Right now, he's really trying to work on staying on the ball and work on his timing a little bit. But he's been really good." Abrams was slashing .283/.344/.513 at the end of June last year prior to his second-half struggles, and the Nats still believe he can provide that level of production on a consistent basis.

Abrams will be moved back into the leadoff spot this season, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports. "CJ's going to lead off," manager Dave Martinez said. "The [Nos.] 3-4-5 will be kind of different a little bit. The [No.] 2 might be different at times. But we do know CJ's going to lead off for us."

EDGE Analysis

Abrams was moved out of the leadoff spot late in the season last year in favor of prospect Dylan Crews when Crews was promoted, but the team will reverse that decision this year. Abrams struggled so much in the second half (.203/.260/.326 with an 11th percentile chase rate) that his ability to remain in that capacity as a leadoff hitter is in question.

Abrams reported to spring training Monday and disclosed that he added about 10 pounds of muscle during the offseason, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

A first-time All-Star in 2024, Abrams posted a career-best .314 on-base percentage to go with excellent counting numbers (20 home runs, 31 steals, 65 RBI and 79 runs), but his achievements were somewhat overshadowed by a late-season demotion to the minors, which came after he stayed out past curfew at a casino the night before a day game at Wrigley Field. Abrams addressed the incident publicly for the first time Wednesday, expressing remorse for his actions while noting that he had been in communication with members of the Washington coaching staff throughout the offseason. Now up to 200 pounds and with the embarrassing off-field incident behind him, Abrams believes that he's better prepared to withstand the rigors of a 162-game schedule and perform more consistently after he struggled to a .586 OPS in the second half of last season.

The Nationals optioned Abrams to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Since the All-Star break, Abrams has slashed just .203/.260/.326 with five homers and 17 RBI -- a stark contrast from the .832 OPS he logged during the first half of the year. However, manager Dave Martinez said Saturday that Abrams' demotion is not related to his performance. Instead, the decision to send him down comes after reports that he stayed out past curfew at a casino in Chicago prior to Friday's early-afternoon game against the Cubs, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.com. With Rochester's season wrapping up, the 23-year-old will instead report to the Nationals' complex in Florida and finish the year there. Meanwhile, Nasim Nunez figures to take over as Washington's primary shortstop.

Abrams went 4-for-5 with two doubles, two stolen bases and two runs scored in Thursday's loss to the Cubs.

EDGE Analysis

Abrams singled to lead off the contest before going on to steal second and third, and eventually coming around to score on a knock from Andres Chaparro. The shortstop would also add two doubles before finishing the contest with his first four-hit performance of the season. Abrams has now hit safely in five straight games, posting multiple hits three times over that stretch. His two stolen bases Thursday also put him over the 30-steal mark for the second straight season in his young and promising career.

Abrams (shoulder) will start at shortstop and bat leadoff Tuesday against the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

Left-shoulder soreness has prevented Abrams from playing in each of Washington's last four games, but he seems to finally be feeling better entering Tuesday's contest. The 23-year-old has been in a bit of a slump at the plate recently, slashing just .176/.194/.382 with two home runs and three RBI since the start of September.

Abrams (shoulder) is available off the bench for Monday's game against the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Abrams is missing a fourth straight start due to left shoulder discomfort, but it sounds like his return to the lineup could happen any day now. Nasim Nunez is picking up another start at shortstop in Monday's series opener.

Abrams (shoulder) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

He'll miss out on a fourth consecutive start while he continues to contend with a sore left shoulder. Nasim Nunez will once again fill in at shortstop in place of Abrams, who is considered day-to-day and may be available off the bench Monday.