The CJ Abrams era begins with the Nats rallying to beat the Cubs
Mixed results are expected from a 21-year-old. For the last-place Nationals, for this 5-4 win over the Chicago Cubs, Abrams’s presence mattered most. That he recorded the final out wasn’t so bad, either.
Abrams’s promotion to the majors was hastened when 22-year-old Luis García hurt his left groin over the weekend. Ahead of the series opener, García went to the 10-day injured list. Abrams was activated as the shortstop of the present and, ideally, long-term future. The debut of one of the five key players netted for Soto and Bell was eventually overshadowed by Josiah Gray’s 10 strikeouts and Nelson Cruz, who capped a comeback and three-RBI game with his first homer since June 25.
“It’s super exciting,” Gray said of Abrams playing behind him. “For me personally, it gives me a little extra edge to go out there and sort of dream on the future. Like, these are the guys that can be your teammates for years to come.”
Before Monday, Abrams had played just 160 professional games since he was drafted sixth overall in 2019. And before that, he was a star shortstop for Blessed Trinity Catholic High in Roswell, Ga., a kid who chose baseball but could have thrived in football or basketball, too.
Knowing his age, Dave Martinez wants to bring Abrams along slowly. The manager plans to bat him higher in the order — maybe even first — but settled for seventh against the Cubs and starter Marcus Stroman. When Abrams got to Nationals Park, he was joined by José Alguacil, the club’s minor league infield coordinator who grew familiar with Abrams on Class AAA Rochester. Washington is now accustomed to the late-summer arrivals of prospects acquired in blockbuster trades.
First it was Gray debuting for the Nationals at 23 last August. A few weeks later, Keibert Ruiz, Gray’s catcher Monday, was promoted at 23 and took his post. And then here was Abrams, another potential cornerstone up the middle, soft-spoken and fresh-faced and swimming a tad in his No. 5 jersey.
“This is what we talked about moving forward, some of our youth, and now we’re getting to see some of that here,” Martinez said. “And that definitely excites me a lot … watching these guys all play together and grow together. It’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s going to be some work, a lot of work. But it’s going to be fun.”
Washington (39-78) didn’t deal for Abrams, Gray or Ruiz — or MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell III or James Wood — to win in the final months of a totally lost season. The goal is to have them competing as a core, on a roster fleshed out with free agent signings, in…
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