CJ Abrams Returns to Nationals Lineup at SS vs. Braves After Back Tightness

CJ Abrams is back at shortstop for the Nationals against the Braves, returning to the lineup after back tightness kept him out of recent games.

Per Jessica Camerato of MLB.com, Abrams is starting at his natural position — a notable detail given that his most recent lineup appearances had come at second base, a positional shift the Nationals had been experimenting with before the back issue emerged.

What we know

Abrams was scratched from at least one game against the Marlins due to back tightness. He is now back in the lineup at shortstop, suggesting the issue has settled enough for the club to deploy him there.

What remains unconfirmed

There is no official timetable or medical detail attached to the back tightness beyond what the lineup card itself implies. Whether the Nationals intend to continue the second-base experiment going forward — or whether this return to shortstop is simply the path of least resistance while he eases back in — has not been addressed in the material.

The broader Washington context is worth noting: James Wood remains on a rehab assignment at Double-A, so the Nationals are still navigating a lineup that isn't fully assembled. Abrams back in the fold, at whatever position, matters.