WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Washington Nationals could have All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams back in the lineup as early as Thursday for their series finale against the Orioles. However, the team may opt to wait until Friday’s matchup with the Mets, depending on his recovery. Abrams, sidelined since April 12 with a right hip flexor strain, completed his two-game rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg, logging 15 innings in less than 24 hours and showing no signs of discomfort.

Abrams went 0-for-4 across two games but contributed a game-tying sacrifice fly and drew two walks. “I think they were a little scared to pitch to him,” joked teammate Michael Soroka, who shared the field with Abrams during his own rehab start. While the stat line wasn’t eye-catching, the priority was testing Abrams’ hip durability. Manager Davey Martinez emphasized that Abrams reported no pain during or after the games, calling it a “great” sign.

The shortstop will return to Washington on Thursday for a final evaluation. “The biggest thing now is, he played two days without any pain. It’s to see how he rebounds tomorrow,” Martinez said. If cleared, Abrams could immediately slot back into the leadoff spot, where he was slashing .244/.289/.585 with four homers and four steals before the injury.

Right-hander Michael Soroka, recovering from a March 31 biceps strain, threw 46 pitches over 2.2 innings in Tuesday’s rehab start. He surrendered a two-run homer but felt “no problem” with the bicep. Soroka plans to stretch out to 70-75 pitches in his next outing Sunday, potentially positioning him for a mid-May return. “Just a shortened build-up phase,” he said, downplaying the need for an extended ramp-up.

What’s Next: The Nationals’ decision on Abrams will hinge on Thursday’s medical review. His return would provide a timely spark for a lineup that has struggled in his absence, dropping to 6-10 amid bullpen meltdowns. Meanwhile, Soroka’s progress offers rotation depth behind emerging arms like Mitchell Parker, who recently tossed seven scoreless innings against Houston.