Washington Nationals Shortstop Trying to Finish Season Strong
As the Washington Nationals head into the final weeks of the 2024 season, they are trying to finish the season on a positive note.
This season has been all about developing the young players on the team, as the Nationals are trying to figure out who will be the building blocks for years to come. There are a lot of talented young players on the roster, but even the most talented young players go through tough stretches.
Currently, Washington’s shortstop CJ Abrams is having one of those tough stretches. Abrams was one of the big pieces that the Nationals got in return for the Juan Soto deal, as he was regarded as one of the best prospects in baseball.
Abrams had a solid first full season with Washington in 2023, as he totaled a batting average of .248, with 18 home runs, 64 RBIs, and 47 stolen bases. While Abrams had a good season at the plate last year, he was also excellent on the field for the Nationals.
This season, Abrams looked like he was taking a big step forward, as he was named to his first All-Star Game, as he had an excellent first half of the season. In the first half, Abrams totaled a .268 batting average, 15 home runs, 48 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases.
Unfortunately for Abrams, the second half of the season hasn’t been as good, and his manager Dave Martinez recently spoke about getting him some time off to reset due to his struggles.
“He’s been struggling a lot over the past few weeks, and we want to get him back on his feet,” Martinez told Patrick Reddington of Federal Baseball, “… try to get him in his legs a little better hitting-wise, and hopefully we can get him going again.”
“It’s been going on for a while, been wanting to do it for a while, and I thought, ‘Let’s do it now and see if we can get him back so he can finish the season off strong.’”
While the first half of the season was great for Abrams, the second half of the season has been dreadful. Since the All-Star break, Abrams has totaled a .172 batting average, four home runs, 16 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases.
Really the only positive for Abrams on offense in the second half has been his ability to steal bases efficiently, as he has only been caught stealing twice since the break.
Getting Abrams some time off to reset makes a lot of sense for Washington, as the franchise would like him to finish the season on a positive note. He is clearly a very talented player, but this has been a tough stretch for him.
NICK ZIEGLER