The Nationals may be headed toward a sell-off if they decide to move pieces at the trade deadline, and three names stand out as possible trade chips: Foster Griffin, Luis Garcia Jr. and CJ Abrams.
Foster Griffin has been one of the biggest surprises in Washington and one of the more interesting stories anywhere in baseball. Back in the United States for the first time since 2022 after pitching in Japan from 2023-25, Griffin has looked like the Nationals’ ace and earned an All-Star nod.
He’s sitting on an 11-2 record with a 2.68 ERA, and the numbers from his time overseas suggest this might not be a fluke. Griffin posted a 1.52 ERA in 2025 and a 2.93 ERA in 2024 in Japan.
Even with that kind of production, the Nationals’ long-term direction points toward cheaper young talent and “small-ball,” which could make Griffin the kind of arm they move if they decide to cash in.
Luis Garcia Jr. may be the most obvious candidate of the group. According to The Athletic, other teams are showing strong interest in him.
The 26-year-old first baseman is hitting .280 with an .860 OPS, along with 21 home runs and 70 RBI's. His Fangraphs Offensive Rating is plus-12.1.
He hasn’t been a liability in the field either, with a plus-1 Fielding Run Value, but he also doesn’t look untouchable. If Washington dealt him, the club would need to replace him at first base with Andres Chaparro or a first baseman coming back in the deal.
That’s a hole, but Garcia Jr. also looks like the kind of player a rebuilding team can afford to move.
CJ Abrams is the name that keeps coming up, even if the odds of a trade remain low. The rumors around him have stayed loud, but a deal would require a massive return, well above market value.
Paul Toboni would need to be blown away, and that kind of offer seems unlikely. Kalshi’s 'Players Traded' Market doesn’t even list Abrams as a possible trade candidate, which tells you plenty about the current expectation.
Abrams still has two more years of team control, and after making $4.2 million on a one-year deal, he’s in line for a much bigger payday. For now, the Nationals are expected to keep him, and Abrams doesn’t have much leverage to force the issue at the deadline or even later on.
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CJ Abrams sits at the center of that conversation, and the possibility of him being available has already started to ripple beyond Washington. He has become one of the most important names to watch as teams weigh both present needs and future upside, which is why even a hint of movement around him carries real weight for a club trying to build back toward contention. [Read more 🡒]