The Seattle Mariners have watched two key pieces of their infield - Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suárez - walk out the door this offseason, leaving some pretty noticeable gaps in the lineup. And while the front office hasn’t moved to plug those holes just yet, there’s a name floating around that could be a long-term solution: CJ Abrams.
Abrams, the 23-year-old shortstop for the Washington Nationals, isn’t just a stopgap. He’s a rising star with legit All-Star upside, and he’s coming off a breakout season that turned heads across the league.
In 144 games, he posted a .257 average with a .315 on-base percentage and a .433 slugging mark - good for a .748 OPS. Add in 35 doubles, 19 home runs, 60 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases, and you’ve got a player who’s already producing at a high level - and still has room to grow.
For the Mariners, who are trying to stay competitive in a tough AL West, Abrams would bring a dynamic presence to the infield. With Polanco gone and Suárez likely not returning, Seattle's left with question marks at both second and third base. Sure, they’ve got promising young talent in guys like Cole Young and Colt Emerson, but relying on both of them to carry everyday roles out of the gate might be asking a bit much - especially for a team with postseason aspirations.
That’s where Abrams fits in. He’s young, controllable, and already proven at the big-league level.
He’s set to make just $4.2 million this season and still has two more years of team control after that. For a front office that values cost-effective talent, that’s a dream scenario.
Offensively, he may not fully replace the combined production of both Polanco and Suárez - at least not right away - but he brings a different kind of threat. He’s got speed, gap power, and the kind of athleticism that can change a game in multiple ways.
And if you drop him into a lineup that already features Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, and Josh Naylor? That’s a young, exciting core with serious upside.
The fit makes sense. Seattle needs infield help, and Abrams could be a long-term answer rather than a short-term patch. It would take a significant trade package to pry him away from Washington, but if the Mariners are serious about contending - not just this season, but for years to come - this is the kind of move that helps build something sustainable.
Now it’s just a matter of whether Seattle’s front office is ready to make that kind of swing. Because if they are, CJ Abrams might be the perfect addition to a team that’s looking to take the next step.