The Washington Nationals surfaced as sellers at the 2026 trade deadline, shipping away several key contributors. Yet they held onto CJ Abrams, their 25-year-old All-Star shortstop, despite swirling rumors. That decision, however, may only be temporary.
Abrams has been one of the best position players in baseball this season. He’s hitting .287 with a .359 on-base percentage and a .544 slugging percentage, good for a 144 wRC+. He’s also stolen 22 bases and clubbed 28 home runs. Even with subpar defense, FanGraphs credits him with 3.6 wins above replacement, placing him among the top 20 position players this year.
The Nationals are in a tricky spot. They haven’t posted a winning record since their 2019 World Series title. The rebuild has been slow, leading to the firing of president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo last summer. Paul Toboni took over the role, leaving his assistant general manager post in Boston. The team also traded MacKenzie Gore this past offseason. Even as the club improved this year, the front office acted like a seller, dealing Curtis Mead, Luis García Jr. and Foster Griffin at the deadline.
Keeping Abrams was a notable exception. Teams called, and the Nationals listened. But according to CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa, the interest may have been more about teams asking than Washington actively shopping their shortstop. Axisa notes that Abrams is controllable through 2028, giving the Nationals time to decide.
That decision could come this winter. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter suggests that if the Nationals don’t believe they can sign Abrams to an extension, they should flip him now to maximize his trade value. Reuter wrote that moving Abrams could be “a major step toward building a future contender.”
Abrams is a two-time All-Star and has a 4.4 bWAR this season. A player like that would command a huge return. The Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Atlanta Braves have been mentioned as potential suitors. The Red Sox, in particular, were interested at the deadline, and CBS Sports’ Axisa believes they could be the front-runners this offseason.
The Nationals’ playoff odds are slim, sitting at just 1.8% per FanGraphs. With the focus on the future, trading Abrams for a haul of prospects and MLB-ready talent might be too tempting to pass up. For now, though, Abrams remains a National. For how long is anyone’s guess.
