Washington Nationals news & notes: CJ Abrams putting together impressive run; Travis Blankenhorn back in majors…

CJ Abrams’ Top 15 Hits:

“Since moving to the leadoff position on July 7,The Nationals’ public relations department wrote in the notes for the second of four games this week against Miami in the capital.CJ Abrams batted .271/.321/.422 with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs and 16 RBIs.[s], 9 walks, 6 hit-by-pitch, 27 stolen bases, and 32 points. ”

It’s an impressive feat for a shortstop who is still only 22 years old, and his 27 stolen bases in the same period was “… [the Braves’] Ronald Acuna Jr. (21)”

“Regarding the seasons,” they added.[Abrams] He is third in the National League with 38 stolen bases. “

Abrams has 14 home runs in the season heading into Friday’s game, hitting his 15th off Marlins starter Yuri Perez in a 0-2 curve and hitting a 409-foot home run into right field at Nationals Park. I caught up with the difference of 1 points. 1 after Fish popped out to take an early lead.

The move to the leadoff spot seemed to work for Abrams, but of course that’s what the manager wanted when he moved up shortstop.

“For me, it was all about giving him a sense of leadership and getting him out on base for the other players, the eight behind him,” said Davey Martinez, who said the club will be in New York on its final trip. told reporters while staying in

“And he did it. He did really well,” added Martinez. “We’re still teaching him a little bit more about how to count and how to get on base, but with that said, I want him to be aggressive in the strike zone and swing the ball he thinks he can hit. And he’s gotten a lot better, he really did.

“His overall level of play has gone up quite a bit, but when we traded him, we thought this was the kind of player.” [we were getting], and it’s happening pretty quickly. He hasn’t played much professional baseball. We’ve been teaching him on the run and he’s very smart and learns as he goes, but he wants to get better. “

The power Abrams has shown this season has not taken the club by surprise…in fact, not at all.

GM of Nuts Mike Rizzo told 106.7 fans on DC’s Sports Junkies It was clear even before we got him at Juan Soto a year ago (and Josh Bell) deal with the San Diego Padres.

Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

“We always saw that pop. When we scouted him before any trades or anything, that pop was obvious,” Lizzo said. “But the difference I see now is that [Nats’ Hitting Coach] Darnell [Coles] And what Davey did really well with him was teaching him what his happy zones were and what his no-swing zones were. In the past, I trained him by raising the four seamer and then hitting the curve ball, but I think you will see a little adjustment throughout the season. He’s kind of laying off pitches that are too unmanageable now. It’s like looking for a pitch at a certain count that he can hit. “

“No, we are not surprised by the power,” Martinez said.

The sixth-year manager said Abrams’ increased success in fours this year was the result of a lot of hard work and the influence of first base coach Eric Young Jr.

“He’s engaged. He’s totally committed to the game and what he has to do,” Martinez said.

“He’s coming out on base. Like I always talk to him, a walk or a single can be a double with him.”

“He knows how to play the game, he knows when to steal,” Martinez continued. He’s been working a lot with EY on picking pitchers and what to look for in pitchers, and he’s done a great job when it comes to getting offensive out there. “

Abrams was also aggressive at bat. He jumped all of several changeups in the series at Yankee Stadium, hitting reliever Tommy Carnley deep twice, his 13th and 14th of the season, and 32 IPs in 35 games where Carnley allowed a changeup. He recorded his third and fifth home runs. 2023 (early on friday night).

When asked about smashing the changeup in the first of two home runs in New York, Abrams said, “I always have a fastball and just react with my hands. Trust your hands.”

He’s not surprised by his home run total this season.

“I know I had them, but I didn’t know when they would show up,” Abrams joked.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he hits the first pitch changeup in the big game because he’s a studious guy,” Lizzo told The Junkies.

“He’s an expert in video and is well coached by Darnell Coles and Davey Martinez. He’s 22 and has a bright future ahead of him.”

What you’re doing at this level at such a young age impressed DC’s GM

“As I said during the draft, there are about 1,000 guys older than him in this year’s draft,” Rizzo said. “And this player already has a year in the big leagues.

“A bright future, a great kid, an energetic player, a fast player, athletic, with the tools and just beginning to leave a mark on what his career will look like. ”

Abrams said he’s not alone in that regard, he’s just one of many young players on the Nationals’ roster currently busy establishing themselves in the majors.

“We have a lot,” Abrams said. “Young team, we are united…and got Davey [who signed an extension recently] We have two more years to go, so let’s make something happen. “

Abrams was expected to be a key piece in DC’s next competitive team when they acquired him, and that expectation remains.

“We always saw him as a premium position, a premium player, a kind of instrumental player,” Lizzo said late last month. “We had no doubt that he would have his way in place, and even early in the season he’s made 17 errors this year, and as a rookie playing shortstop in the big leagues, I’ve made 25 to 30 errors. I expected” [errors] Because that’s what young rookie shortstops do in the big leagues early in their careers. In short, he exceeded my expectations of being a consistent, everyday defender as a shortstop. “

Blanken Bomb!!:

Washington added reliever Amos Willingham and outfielder Travis Blankenhorn to the majors when the roster expanded to 28 on Friday.

Willingham, 25, is back for the third time this year, posting a 2.89 ERA (3 ERA/9.1 ERA) in six games since returning to Rochester on August 11.

Blankenhorn, 27, was selected by Minnesota in the third round of the 2015 draft and made his major league debut in 2020, appearing in a total of 26 games with the Twins and New York before signing a free agency contract over the winter. Mets Between 20 and 22 years.

This season, in Washington’s system, Blankenhorn “appeared in 108 games for Triple-A Rochester and led the organization in OPS (.877) and slugging percentage (.517),” when the Knotts called him up. As pointed out:

“He ranked among the Nationals’ minor leaguers in home runs (2nd, 23) and RBI.”[s] (2nd, 75), slugging (2nd, 52), doubles (2nd, 27), RBI (2nd, 67), total runs (2nd, 203), on-base percentage (4th, .360) , number of hits (4th, 103), walks (7th, 51), and batting average (8th, .262). “

Blankenhorn was approached to return to the majors in the midst of his good results, and recorded a record of “. left.[s], walked 9 and scored 18 in the last 21 games before promotion. “

“You see, he did an incredible job for us at Rochester,” said Davey Martinez after the club formally announced Blankenhorn’s promotion. “We really felt like he deserved the chance to come here and play.

“I wanted him in right away and let him continue,” Martinez explained after using Blankenhorn as No. 5 in last night’s game.

“And he got hit midway through the standings there too, so we’re going to keep him there.”

Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Martinez said he and his coaches (And the brass of the Nationals) will use the last few weeks of the 2023 campaign to evaluate which players get a chance to enter.

“I want to see you all,” he said. “We are in a situation where we want to win games now, but we also want to build for the future. Seeing these young players play shows what their future holds for us. It will give them all the opportunity to play.”

Blankenhorn walked his first at-bat for the Nationals last night, trailing Miami Marlins starter Yuri Perez 2-0, but had four outs in a row from outside the zone with two outs. overcame.

In the second, he hit a 423-foot, 97.3 mph fastball to center from Perez to make it 1-1, becoming the first HR to wear a Nationals uniform and hitting two home runs in three innings to tie the score at 3-3. Ta. Lost 8-5 in overtime.