The Nationals are sitting at .500, which keeps the door cracked on a playoff push, but it also puts them in the middle of the deadline conversation. If Washington decides it’s not buying, the club could become one of the more interesting sellers on the market - and CJ Abrams is the name that jumps out.
Abrams still hasn’t landed a long-term extension with the Nationals. He’s under team control for two more arbitration years before free agency, but the absence of a new deal has left open the possibility of a trade. MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported that there’s a real possibility Abrams gets dealt barring a new deal coming to fruition.
That kind of uncertainty is enough to make him one of the biggest names to watch. Washington still views Abrams as a key piece, but he also may not be the shortstop of the future.
His defensive numbers are rough - his -11 outs above average rank 255th out of 257 qualified position players, per Statcast - and top prospect Eli Willits is expected to take over at shortstop in the next few years. If the Nationals think Abrams’ value is peaking now, this may be the moment to move him.
And if they do, the return should be substantial. Washington needs pitching, ideally arms close to the majors, and using Baseball Trade Values as a guide, there are a few realistic packages that could make sense.
One possibility sends Abrams to the Yankees. In that deal, New York would receive Abrams, while Washington would get RHP Carlos Lagrange, RHP Elmer Rodriguez and OF Spencer Jones.
Abrams is controllable through the 2028 season, which makes him a fit for a Yankees club trying to bolster an offense that has sputtered without the injured Aaron Judge. If Anthony Volpe keeps getting run at shortstop, Abrams could slide into DH duty or move around the infield, with third base another area of need.
A position change seems likely at some point anyway, given Abrams’ defensive struggles. The Yankees also have George Lombard waiting in the wings at shortstop, though New York is unlikely to part with a consensus top-10 prospect.
For Washington, Rodriguez and Lagrange would give the system two Triple A arms - the Nos. 3 and 4 prospects in the Yankees’ farm - while Jones would add another power bat to the mix as New York’s No. 6 prospect.
A Cardinals deal would look different, but the logic is similar. In that scenario, St.
Louis would land Abrams and Washington would receive LHP Liam Doyle, OF Joshua Báez and RHP Yhoiker Fajardo. Abrams could give the Cardinals another impact bat while moving to third base or serving as the DH, which would allow Masyn Winn to stay at shortstop and keep his defense in place.
Abrams also fits St. Louis’s timeline since he isn’t a rental.
The Cardinals would have to give up real talent, but this package would let them hold onto their No. 1 prospect, 19-year-old catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, who is MLB Pipeline’s No. 12 prospect. Doyle, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 draft and MLB Pipeline’s No. 22 prospect, would headline the return, along with Báez, MLB Pipeline’s No. 46 prospect.
Fajardo, St. Louis’s No. 11 prospect, would round things out after posting a 3.93 ERA at Advanced A ball at 19 years old.
Boston is another club that could make a run. The Red Sox have been pushed back into the postseason picture by a 14-game winning streak, and that could prompt them to add at the deadline.
Shortstop has been a weak spot, especially after Trevor Story’s resurgence in 2025 faded and he then endured a rough first half of the ‘26 season before going on the 60-day IL. Franklin Arias is rising through the system, but the 20-year-old likely isn’t ready for another season or two.
Abrams could help the offense right away and perhaps shift to a different defensive spot by the time Arias arrives. In this version, the Nationals would get LHP Connelly Early and OF Enddy Azocar.
Early, 24, has 21 MLB starts on his resume and has been strong this season with a 3.44 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings over 17 starts. Azocar, 19, brings a more dynamic profile, with power and speed showing up in his .801 OPS, 13 home runs, 48 RBIs and 11 stolen bases across 75 games between Single A and Advanced A.
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Rubenstein also made clear that the front office is not treating this as a one-off move, saying the team is open to more long-term deals with players who want to stay. With the Trade Deadline approaching, that matters for a club still trying to keep its season on track, and it puts a little extra weight on the next stretch of games as Baltimore sorts out whether its future is best served by adding, extending, or simply standing pat. [Read more 🡒]