The Red Sox are going to be tied to a long list of offseason bats, but one of the more interesting names now in the mix is Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams.
Abrams just put together the kind of season that gets attention fast. The 26-year-old hit 33 home runs, swiped 34 bases and posted an OPS north of .800 for the first time.
He also set new career highs with 3.7 fWAR and 5.1 bWAR. It was the step forward plenty of people around the league had been waiting for.
The problem for Washington is timing. Abrams has two seasons of team control left, and the Nationals do not expect to be ready to contend by then.
That has fueled the belief that he could be moved, and The Athletic’s Jim Bowden reported that Boston is among the teams showing interest. A deal for Abrams would not come cheap, but the Red Sox should be able to land him without having to touch their top prospect.
One realistic framework would send Abrams to Boston for OF Justin Gonzalez, RHP Sabdiel Delzine and INF Andruw Monasterio.
Gonzalez would likely be the centerpiece. Boston’s No. 2 prospect, according to SoxProspects, is only 19 but has already reached Double-A and is considered a top 100 prospect in baseball.
He also fits Washington’s timeline. Delzine, 18, would give the Nationals another high-end arm to develop.
Monasterio would serve as the short-term answer in the middle infield while Washington waits for one of its top prospects there, Eli Willits or Seaver King, to be ready for the majors, which is expected to happen sometime next season.
For Boston, the fit is less about where Abrams plays now and more about where he could slot in. Even with Trevor Story on the roster, a crowded infield and Franklin Arias on the way, Abrams could move to second base. His bat took a step forward this season, but his defense at shortstop has consistently graded among the worst in baseball, so a shift to second would help cover that up.
Offensively, Abrams would give the Red Sox the kind of upside they need. His 30-30 potential would make him a dangerous middle-of-the-order piece alongside Willson Contreras, Adley Rutschman and Roman Anthony next season. Giving up two top prospects is a steep price, especially after the farm system has already been thinned out by trades, but that is the sort of move teams make when they are chasing a championship.
Boston needs a real offensive jolt this offseason, and the infield looks like the cleanest place to find it. Abrams checks the boxes on talent, timeline and upside, which is why this kind of deal feels like such a natural fit for the Red Sox.
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