Nationals demote Abrams

The Washington Nationals have demoted All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams to the minor leagues for unspecified internal reasons, according to manager Dave Martinez, who emphasized that the decision was not performance-related. Reports indicate that the demotion follows an incident where Abrams reportedly spent the night at a Chicago-area casino before a game, leaving only hours before it started. Abrams, who has had a difficult second half of the season, was hitting .246 with 20 home runs overall, but had struggled significantly after the All-Star break. The demotion will cost him nearly $19,000 as he transitions from a major league salary to a lower minor league pay rate. Martinez described a heartfelt conversation with Abrams prior to the decision, indicating continued support for the player despite the circumstances. Abrams will not report to Triple-A Rochester, which concluded its season, but will instead train in West Palm Beach, Florida.