The Nationals are sitting at .500, which keeps the door cracked open on the postseason, but only if they find another gear in the second half. If they don’t, Washington could become one of the more interesting sellers on the market - and CJ Abrams would be the name drawing the loudest buzz.
Abrams is under control through the 2028 season, but the Nationals still haven’t worked out a long-term extension with him. That leaves real room for a deadline move, especially after MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported there’s a real possibility Abrams gets dealt if no new deal comes together. Washington still views him as an important piece, but he also isn’t locked in as the shortstop of the future, particularly with top prospect Eli Willits expected to take over there in the next few years.
The appeal is obvious. Abrams is 25 and at his highest trade value yet.
The concern is just as obvious: his defense has been rough, with -11 outs above average, which ranks 255th out of 257 qualified position players, according to Statcast. That makes a position change feel likely somewhere down the line, whether he stays in Washington or lands elsewhere.
For the Nationals, the logic is simple - if they move him, they need pitching back, and preferably arms that are close enough to help soon.
Here are three realistic packages that could get a deal done.
The Yankees make sense as a heavy hitter in this conversation. They’d get Abrams, while Washington would land RHP Carlos Lagrange, RHP Elmer Rodriguez and OF Spencer Jones.
New York could use another impact bat with Aaron Judge injured, and Abrams would give them one of the league’s best young offensive players. If the Yankees keep giving Anthony Volpe time at shortstop, Abrams could fit at DH or even slide to another infield spot, with third base also a need.
His bat plays in the Bronx, too: he’s a left-handed pull hitter, and all 22 of his home runs this season have gone to right field or right-center field. On Washington’s side, Rodriguez and Lagrange would give the Nationals two Triple A arms ranked Nos. 3 and 4 in the Yankees’ system, while Jones would add more power to the outfield mix as New York’s No. 6 prospect.
St. Louis is another club that could make a real push.
In that deal, the Cardinals would receive Abrams, and the Nationals would get LHP Liam Doyle, OF Joshua Báez and RHP Yhoiker Fajardo. Abrams would give the Cardinals another dangerous bat without forcing them to move Masyn Winn off shortstop, since Abrams could shift to third base or DH.
He also fits their timeline, since he isn’t a rental. Washington would be getting a strong return headlined by Doyle, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 draft and MLB Pipeline’s No. 22 prospect, plus Báez, a power bat with a strong arm and MLB Pipeline’s No. 46 prospect.
Fajardo, St. Louis’s No. 11 prospect, would add more depth after posting a 3.93 ERA at Advanced A ball at age 19.
Boston also belongs in the mix. The Red Sox’s 14-game winning streak pushed them back into the postseason picture, and that could prompt a more aggressive move.
Trevor Story’s 2025 resurgence didn’t last, and he struggled through the first half of the ‘26 season before landing on the 60-day IL. Shortstop remains a weak spot, even with Franklin Arias climbing through the minors, and Abrams could give the lineup a needed jolt.
In this scenario, the Nationals would get LHP Connelly Early and OF Enddy Azocar. Early, 24, has 21 MLB starts and has put together a strong season, posting a 3.44 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings over 17 starts.
Azocar, 19, brings a power-speed blend, with an .801 OPS, 13 home runs, 48 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 75 games across Single A and Advanced A.
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