Jim Bowden rolled out a blockbuster trade idea for the Dodgers that would send Los Angeles after two of Washington’s brightest young bats, but the price tag is a monster.
In Bowden’s proposal, the Dodgers would ship top prospect Josue De Paula, catcher Dalton Rushing, and pitchers Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski to the Nationals. In return, LA would land outfielder James Wood and shortstop CJ Abrams.
That’s a massive ask, and it starts with two players who were both All-Stars for Washington last season. Wood and Abrams have already established themselves as impact pieces, and Bowden’s idea would put them in Dodger blue as part of a six-player deal that was described as something that would “completely change this franchise."
Wood, 23, turned in a huge season, hitting 30 home runs, stealing 21 bases, and producing a .265/.388/.503 slash line. Abrams was just as dangerous in his own way, batting .261/.336/.497 while leading all shortstops with 33 homers and 34 stolen bases in 2026.
The problem for the Dodgers is obvious: neither player is a short-term rental. Wood remains pre-arbitration eligible and is under team control through after the 2030 season. Abrams is a little further along in the process, but he still has two years of team control left.
That’s why the deal feels out of whack. Wood alone might justify a package like De Paula, Rushing, Sheehan, and Wrobleski. Adding Abrams on top of that pushes it into fantasy territory.
It also doesn’t help that De Paula is viewed as a potential star in his own right. He’s limited defensively, just like Wood, but he brings serious bat speed and power. De Paula is also a more patient hitter than Wood, and the belief is that he could eventually catch him once he gets more time in the majors.
Bowden has never been shy about bold ideas, but this one lands well past the point of reasonable. If he were still in charge in Washington, maybe the conversation would be different. As it stands, this is the kind of trade that only looks close on paper.
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