MLB Rumors: Bizarre Reason Revealed For Why CJ Abrams Was Demoted

In a surprising and bizarre move, the Washington Nationals recently optioned All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams to Triple-A Rochester with just eight games left in the season, despite his recent hot streak at the plate. 

The demotion came after reports surfaced that Abrams had violated team rules by staying out at a Chicago casino until 8 a.m., just hours before a 1 p.m. game against the Cubs. 

Abrams went 0-for-3 with a walk in that game, which the Nationals lost 3-1. 

While Abrams had struggled in the second half of the season, batting just .203 over his last 49 games, he had begun heating up, hitting .476 with three doubles and a homer in his last six games.

Gary, Keith and Ron comment on the CJ Abrams situation:

Keith: "I can see 4 in the morning but not 8 a.m."

Ron: "Spoken like a man with experience" pic.twitter.com/G0YmR3TFg5

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 21, 2024

Former Nationals GM Jim Bowden shed light on the situation, confirming that the casino visit was the tipping point for the Nationals' decision to demote Abrams. 

Nationals GM Mike Rizzo acknowledged the report but remained vague on the details. "We’re all aware of the report, but beyond that, it’s an internal issue that we will keep in the family," Rizzo said. 

Despite the Nationals' elimination from playoff contention and Abrams' value as a key piece of their rebuild, the team made it clear that his off-field behavior would not be tolerated.

pic.twitter.com/DC3rWKOXiC

— Baseball Images that Precede Unfortunate Events (@UnfortunateMLB) September 21, 2024

The demotion not only keeps him out of the Nationals' final games but also costs him about $30,000 in salary. 

Over his three-year career, the 23-year-old holds a .246/.302/.402 triple-slash line, with 40 home runs, 150 RBIs, 85 stolen bases, and 195 runs scored across 379 games played.

Photo Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images