The Boston Red Sox have been relatively quiet this offseason when it comes to making big splashes in the lineup-but that doesn’t mean the door is closed on a major move. And according to former Mets GM Steve Phillips, there’s still one intriguing option on the board: CJ Abrams.
Phillips floated the idea Tuesday on MLB Network Radio, suggesting that Boston should pick up the phone and call the Nationals about acquiring Abrams-and not to play shortstop. Instead, Phillips sees Abrams as a potential fit at second base, a position the Red Sox could still use some clarity on.
“The Red Sox need to pivot,” Phillips said. **“Call the Nationals.
Call (team president Paul) Toboni, who left Boston, and go get CJ Abrams to go play second base. That’s the move for the Boston Red Sox.”
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Abrams, still just 25, is coming off a season where he slashed .257/.315/.433 with 19 home runs and 31 stolen bases. That kind of speed-power combo is tough to find, especially from a middle infielder.
But while the bat offers upside, the glove has been more of a question mark. Abrams committed 22 errors last year at shortstop and finished with minus-11 Outs Above Average-a defensive metric that paints a pretty clear picture: shortstop might not be his long-term home.
That’s where the idea of a position switch comes in.
“He’ll be a great second baseman,” Phillips said. **“He’s a bad shortstop; he’ll be a very good second baseman.
That’s the move they need to make right now.” **
From a roster construction standpoint, it’s not a wild idea. Boston has explored multiple infield options this winter, and while they’ve made some moves-most recently reportedly signing Isiah Kiner-Falefa to a one-year deal-there’s still room for a more dynamic addition. Kiner-Falefa is a solid utility player, but he doesn’t necessarily block a bigger upgrade if the right opportunity comes along.
Abrams, under team control through 2028, wouldn’t come cheap. But the Nationals are reportedly open to listening to offers, according to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden. And if there’s a team that might have a leg up in negotiations, it could be Boston-thanks to a familiar face in the Washington front office.
Paul Toboni, now the Nationals' president of baseball operations, spent a decade in the Red Sox organization, rising through the ranks from amateur scouting to vice president of player development. Those ties could matter when it comes to building trust and finding common ground in trade talks.
“You got a connection there, like Chaim Bloom has had with the Red Sox,” Phillips noted. **“Toboni has that relationship with the Red Sox, too.
He knows who he likes, what he wants. I think relationships matter in these deals.”
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It’s worth noting that Boston has already pulled off a couple of trades this offseason involving familiar front office faces, including deals with the St. Louis Cardinals-where former Red Sox executive Chaim Bloom now works-that brought in Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras.
So the blueprint is there. And while nothing is imminent, a move for Abrams would check a lot of boxes: youth, upside, positional need, and years of control. If Boston wants to make a statement before pitchers and catchers report, this could be the kind of swing worth taking.