Nationals' Abrams (right hip flexor strain) placed on 10-day IL

MIAMI -- The Nationals placed shortstop CJ Abrams on the 10-day IL with a right hip flexor strain and recalled Nasim Nuñez prior to Saturday's 7-6 loss to Miami.

Abrams re-aggravated the injury during a third-inning stolen-base attempt on Friday that prompted his removal from the game. The hip originally started bothering him earlier in the week.

“We're going to give him some time to see if we can get that to calm down a little bit,” manager Dave Martinez said.

Abrams underwent an MRI exam Saturday morning which showed what Martinez described as a “light strain.”

Martinez is optimistic that Abrams will be available as soon as he's eligible to come off the IL.

The Nationals' leadoff hitter, Abrams is hitting .244 with four homers, seven RBIs and 12 strikeouts through 41 at-bats this season. He was also 4-for-4 in stolen-base attempts this season. Abrams had a combined 78 stolen bases over the past two seasons.

Martinez said the hip flexor doesn't bother Abrams when he's hitting, but running and moving to either side does bother the shortstop.

“I'm glad we're able to catch it early and the rest, I think, will definitely help him,” Martinez said. “He's going to get tons of treatment, and as soon as we could do some baseball activity with him, we'll get him going.”

With Abrams out of the lineup, Alex Call hit leadoff for the Nationals on Saturday, drawing walks in his first two plate appearances and scoring a run as part of an 0-for-3 afternoon. The right fielder is off to a hot start, hitting .385 and drawing nine walks across 37 plate appearances this season.

“He works counts,” Martinez said of Call. “He's a guy that's been getting on base, so he's done really well.”

Martinez also mentioned the possibility that slugger James Wood could make some starts in the leadoff spot. Wood's five homers lead the Nationals, and his eight walks are tied for second behind Call for the most on the team.

Wood hit from the two-hole on Saturday, delivering a hit, a walk and scoring two runs.

“I like Wood at leadoff as well, because he works good counts as well,” Martinez said. “But right now, hopefully we can get Call up there, get him on base for Woody and those guys.”

One of the Nationals final Spring Training cuts, Nu?ez was off to a slow start with the Triple-A Rochester, hitting .192 without an extra-base hit.

“He didn't start off so good, but it's freezing cold in Rochester,” Martinez said.

To fill the void defensively left by Abrams on Saturday, Martinez elected to slide Paul DeJong from third base to short. DeJong came up as a shortstop with St. Louis and has played there most of his career.

“I really like the way DeJong stepped up his play at short, so he'll play today,” Martinez said. “We'll get Nasim out there once he gets his feet grounded a little bit.”

Amed Rosario filled DeJong's spot at third.

Lowe back in lineup
A late scratch from Friday's lineup because of illness, Nathaniel Lowe returned on Saturday as the designated hitter, going 0-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs. Despite being ill, Lowe delivered Friday's biggest blow, a go-ahead, pinch-hit double in the eighth inning that propelled Washington to victory.

“He's still a little bit under the weather, but he said he feels good enough to go out,” Martinez said.

“Looking in hindsight, I didn't have to go out there, but just dug in and, I mean, some at-bats you just get in there and you start praying, and something good happens,” Lowe said.

Lowe expects to DH again in Sunday's series finale, with hopes of returning to first base on Monday when Washington heads to Pittsburgh.

“My legs still aren't really under me,” Lowe said.