CJ Abrams has become one of the biggest reasons the Nationals have surged into the conversation this season, and that’s exactly why his name has started to surface in trade chatter. But if Bob Nightengale’s read is right, Washington is not about to move him anytime soon.
Nightengale of USA Today offered a straightforward prediction on the situation, saying, "Prediction: The Nationals, one of baseball's biggest surprises at 44-43, can't trade Abrams without a huge public relations fallout," Nightengale writes. "At least not now. They are still in the race, just 2 1/2 games out, and Abrams still is under control through 2028."
That combination of factors matters. The Nationals are still hanging around in the race, and Abrams is not anywhere close to reaching the point where Washington has to make a hard decision. He remains under club control through 2028, which gives the team plenty of time to sort out whether a long-term extension can get done.
If the Nationals lock him up before that control window runs out, the whole discussion changes. If they can’t, then a trade becomes a possibility down the road, either at the 2028 deadline or in the offseason before that season.
For now, though, there’s no urgency. Nightengale’s prediction lines up with the reality in front of Washington: a team still trying to win, a fan base that would not take an Abrams deal lightly, and a player producing at a high level.
Abrams is batting .273 with 18 homers, 2.9 bWAR, an NL-leading 60 RBIs, an .866 OPS and a 140 OPS+ this season. He has been one of the Nationals’ best hitters, alongside the breakout of James Wood, and that production makes him a tough player to imagine being dealt in the middle of this season.
So while the rumors are out there, the logic points the other way. Abrams looks set to stay in Washington, at least for now.
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