Abrams' response to demotion will either validate or disprove Nats' decision

CHICAGO – CJ Abrams’ demotion to the minors with one week to go in the season seemingly came out of nowhere. It shocked teammates. It confused the rest of the baseball world. It produced an endless supply of instant takes and opinions that may or may not have been all that informed.

But when the dust settled Sunday and the magnitude of the move sunk in, this much became clear: The Nationals are taking an awfully big risk here. What’s at stake? Abrams’ career trajectory, and the reputation of a franchise trying to re-establish itself as a successful and well-respected ballclub.

The Nats clearly felt they needed to send a message, both to Abrams and to the rest of the clubhouse, that a certain level of maturity and responsibility is expected. To be clear, Abrams didn’t break any official rules. There’s no mandatory curfew on the road. He didn’t get himself into any legal trouble.

So the disciplinary demotion was about making a larger point. To Abrams: It’s time to make smarter decisions. To the rest of the players: Everyone is expected to adhere to certain standards of professionalism, and those who don’t are going to risk the consequences.

It’s not unlike the time Mike Rizzo designated Shawn Kelley for assignment after the reliever showed up manager Davey Martinez during a blowout game in July 2018. Rizzo famously declared after making that transaction, “You’re either in, or you’re in the way,” a quote that would then be displayed prominently in the tunnel that leads from the clubhouse to the dugout at Nationals Park.

But here’s the difference: Kelley was a 34-year-old reliever and pending free agent. Abrams is a 23-year-old All-Star and potential franchise cornerstone for years to come.

The Nats could afford to give up on Kelley. They can’t afford to give up on Abrams.

Which makes the response to this transaction far more consequential than the act itself.

The Nationals are counting on Abrams to deal with this the right way. They expect him to report to West Palm Beach for the next week and keep himself in shape with other Triple-A players who are being sent there to stay ready in case a need arises on the big league roster. They expect him to head home to Atlanta after that and dedicate himself this winter to improving his game. And then they expect him to show up for spring training in February a new man, both on and off the field.

If all of that happens, they’ll be vindicated for their stunning decision. If Abrams plays like the All-Star he was in April and June this season for six months next year, he’ll be one of the centerpieces of an exciting young team that has visions of contending in 2025.

If, however, Abrams takes this news as a sign the Nationals are giving up on him, or that he was unfairly singled out for his actions, his career could go in an entirely different direction. What if he mopes around West Palm Beach, going through the motions? What if he asks the players’ union to challenge the demotion and the reduced salary he’s receiving for this final week after the team openly acknowledged his demotion was not for performance reasons? What if he seeks a trade this winter?

“I assure you that he’ll be better. He will be,” Martinez said Saturday. “We talked a long time yesterday, and last night before we made any decisions. I know that he wants to be here. He expressed that very much. He’s going to miss his teammates. But without getting into any details, this was the right thing to do.”

Though Martinez wasn’t the one making the initial call on Abrams – that’s the GM’s job – much of the cleaning up process falls on him, for better or worse. Rizzo didn’t speak to reporters about the move over the weekend; he’s scheduled to hold an end-of-season media session later this week. So it was Martinez once again serving as the public face of the organization, another opportunity for the manager to show the humanity that has helped guide this franchise through good and bad times for seven years now.

“As I always say, it’s about taking care of the person first and not the player,” Martinez said. “And I’m going to do everything I can to help him. I love the kid. He’s a good kid. He’s going to be back.”

It’s going to be a long offseason waiting to see if this does actually work out the way the Nationals hope it will.