Frustration mounting for Abrams during lengthy slump

April was an especially encouraging month for the Nationals, who played .500 ball for the entire month and saw one of their most important young players take his game to another level.

In that opening month to the season, CJ Abrams put forth a titanic offensive slash line: .295/.373/.619. He got on base. He stole bases when presented with the opportunity. He scored runs. He drove in runs. He drove in himself. It was to be just the beginning of a breakthrough season for the 23-year-old shortstop.

Then came May, and with it a precipitous drop in production. Abrams slashed a far less impressive .205/.216/.304 in the season’s second month. He didn’t get on base. He didn’t steal bases. He didn’t score as many runs. He didn’t drive in as many runs.

And with an 0-for-3 showing Wednesday in the Nationals’ 9-1 loss to the Mets, Abrams’ prolonged slump continued. He’s now batting a mediocre .246 with a .293 on-base percentage and .446 slugging percentage.

Is it any wonder the Nats are 13-19 since May 1, making that April of success feel like a distant memory?

“It’s a tough game,” first baseman Joey Gallo said. “He was super-hot to start the season. If he stayed that hot, he’d be winning MVP. It’s just how the game goes. You’re going to have great stretches where you’re Superman. You’re going to have stretches where nothing can go right for you. It just seems like he’s in that stretch right now.”

It is indeed one of those stretches right now for Abrams, who has lost his early-season mojo (not to mention a good share of the All-Star votes at shortstop (one would have to assume). And he’s starting to show some signs of frustration.

With reporters waiting to speak to him near his locker following Wednesday’s loss, Abrams walked away. When a member of the team’s PR staff caught up to him, Abrams said he was declining to be interviewed.

It was a rare display from the usually gregarious shortstop, who doesn’t always give long, substantive answers in interviews but hasn’t ever turned down a request since joining the Nationals in August 2022.

Abrams is one of the Nats’ most important players, arguably their most important player because of his abilities, his improvement and his role as the starting shortstop and leadoff hitter. But there was some public criticism lobbed in his direction Wednesday from his manager, who rarely makes such statements about his players.

“He’s a guy that we need to get on base,” Davey Martinez said. “If he can’t get on base, then we might have to do something different. … He’s got to start working good at-bats.”

There haven’t been a lot of good at-bats from Abrams in recent weeks. There have been quite a few short at-bats, with quick outs recorded before he ever gives himself a chance to work the count. Abrams is seeing an average of 3.76 pitches per plate appearance, below the league average of 3.89.

Abrams isn’t shy about swinging at the first pitch he sees, even in the first inning. And the strategy has worked well for him: He’s batting .424 (14-for-33) with a 1.259 OPS when he puts the first pitch of an at-bat in play.

But when the aggressive strategy doesn’t work, when he hits into an out instead, it stands out because it tends to kill potential rallies and lets opposing pitchers off the hook.

“He’s got to get ready. He’s got to get ready early,” Martinez said, citing Abrams’ penchant for being late on fastballs. “He’s got to start focusing on hitting line drives.”

If the Nationals had a deep lineup with other contributing hitters, Abrams’ struggles wouldn’t be as noticeable. But his importance to this lineup can’t be understated. When he slumps, the team slumps.

And when he gets frustrated by his lack of contribution, everyone else gets frustrated by his own lack of contribution.