The Washington Nationals kept CJ Abrams at the 2026 MLB trade deadline, but that may not mean he’s staying put for long.
Washington moved Foster Griffin and Luis Garcia Jr. in two major deadline deals, yet Abrams stayed right where he was despite the noise around him. The shortstop has been the subject of trade talk since last offseason, and the Nationals’ decision to hold onto him leaves open the possibility that he remains part of their plans. It also leaves the door open for a different outcome this winter.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter pointed to the same possibility, laying out a scenario where Washington could still deal Abrams before the 2027 MLB season if no extension gets done.
"If the Nationals front office does not believe there is a realistic path to keeping Abrams around beyond 2028, flipping him this winter could be a major step toward building a future contender," Reuter writes.
That’s the crux of it. The Nationals were clearly willing to listen for a reason, and the most obvious one is the uncertainty around Abrams’ long-term future. There’s a real chance he could turn down an extension, push for a bigger payday, or simply wait for free agency and the open market.
If Washington can’t get a long-term agreement in place - or if the odds of one coming together start looking shaky - moving him would make sense.
Abrams would not come cheap. He’s a two-time All-Star and posted 4.4 bWAR in 2026, which would make him an attractive trade chip for any club looking for a shortstop with control. And that control matters: he’s under team control through the 2028 season, giving the Nationals both time and leverage.
He’s also one of the centerpiece players from the Juan Soto trade, and Washington has already moved MacKenzie Gore.
So even after surviving the deadline, Abrams still feels like a name worth watching. The Nationals didn’t trade him in July, but that doesn’t mean the conversation is over.
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