The Nationals have some big decisions to make in the coming weeks. Sitting at .500 on the season, the playoffs aren’t out of reach for Washington, but they’ll need a big second half to have a realistic shot at making it in a crowded National League wild-card race. If the Nats aren’t buying, they’ll certainly attract a lot of attention from various teams as a possible seller. And one player that could potentially be on the move, and who would net them a massive haul, is shortstop CJ Abrams. Abrams and the Nationals have not reached an agreement on a long-term contract extension. Though he has two more years of arbitration before he’d hit free agency, the lack of a new deal leaves the door open for a potential trade at the deadline. MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported that there’s a real possibility Abrams gets dealt barring a new deal coming to fruition. Abrams isn’t Washington’s shortstop of the future, even if the team still considers him a key piece moving forward. His defensive metrics are among the worst in MLB, having recorded -11 outs above average, which ranks 255th out of 257 qualified position players, per Statcast. With top prospect Eli Willits set to take the reins at shortstop in the next few years, the Nationals may be open to moving Abrams now to capitalize on his present value, which is the highest it’s ever been. The 25-year-old will have no shortage of suitors if made available at the trade deadline, but what would it cost a team aiming to add him to its ranks? Washington is in dire need of pitching and should be targeting players in the upper minors given they seem almost ready to be a playoff contender. We’re going to look at some possible fits for Abrams, and the package of prospects that could realistically be offloaded to make a deal work, using the tools provided by Baseball Trade Values. New York YankeesWhat a trade would look like: Yankees receive: SS CJ AbramsNationals receive: RHP Carlos Lagrange, RHP Elmer Rodriguez, OF Spencer JonesSpencer Jones recorded a .687 OPS in his first 30 games of big-league action for the Yankees this year. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectAbrams is controllable through the 2028 season and could be a target for New York, which could add one of the league’s best young bats to an offense that’s sputtered in the absence of the injured Aaron Judge. If the Yankees remain committed to giving Anthony Volpe more run at shortstop, they could slot Abrams in at DH, or explore other positions for him in the infield, with third base being another area of weakness. Abrams has been one of the league’s worst defensive shortstops, so a position change seems likely at some point down the line, whether he’s in the Bronx or elsewhere. The Yankees also have George Lombard waiting in the wings to eventually take over at shortstop. While he could be an intriguing prospect for the Nationals to pursue, the team might be more interested in other minor leaguers to avoid clogging Willits’s path to the big leagues—and it’s also unlikely New York parts with a consensus top-10 prospect in the sport. Abrams would excel offensively in New York. The Yankees’ infamous short porch aligns perfectly with his batter tendencies; a left-handed pull hitter who has hit all 22 of his home runs this season to right field or right-center field. Meanwhile, the Nationals could fortify their pitching staff of the near future with a pair of Triple A arms in Rodriguez and the hard-throwing Lagrange, who are the Nos. 3 and 4 prospects in the Yankees’ farm, while adding another power-hitting outfielder to the mix in Jones, New York’s No. 6 prospect. St. Louis CardinalsWhat a trade would look like: Cardinals receive: SS CJ AbramsNationals receive: LHP Liam Doyle, OF Joshua Báez, RHP Yhoiker Fajardo The Cardinals could show they’re serious about competing this season by making an aggressive splash for Abrams, adding another potent bat to their lineup. Abrams could make the move to third base or serve as St. Louis’s DH, which would enable to the team to keep Masyn Winn’s excellent defense at shortstop. Abrams isn’t a rental, making him a timeline match for the Cardinals, who are still building their foundation after being big sellers last year.To get Abrams, the Cardinals will need to part with some top prospects, but this hypothetical trade would enable them to keep their No. 1 prospect in 19-year-old catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, who ranks as MLB Pipeline’s No. 12 prospect. Doyle and Báez, MLB Pipeline’s Nos. 22 and 46 prospects, respectively, would headline the return for Washington, who get Doyle (the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 draft) and a power-hitting outfielder who also boasts a strong arm. Fajardo could be a nice throw-in to balance the scales––he’s St. Louis’s No. 11 prospect who throws a mean slider and has a 3.93 ERA at Advanced A ball at 19 years old. Boston Red SoxWhat a trade would look like: Red Sox receive: SS CJ AbramsNationals receive: LHP Connelly Early, OF Enddy AzocarRed Sox rookie pitcher Connelly Early has recorded a 3.44 ERA in 17 starts this season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectBoston’s 14-game winning streak vaulted the team right back into the postseason mix, and it could encourage the front office to make a big splash at the deadline to keep the foot on the gas. Trevor Story’s resurgence in 2025 was short-lived, and he endured a dismal first half of the ‘26 season before landing on the 60-day IL. Shortstop is currently an area of weakness for the Red Sox, although Boston has top prospect Franklin Arias working his way up the minor leagues. Still, the 20-year-old likely won’t reach MLB for another season or two. Abrams could provide a much-needed boost to a Red Sox offense that’s been lackluster for much of the season, and he could potentially find a new defensive position by the time Arias is ready for his MLB call-up. In exchange, the Nationals would get southpaw Connelly Early, 24, who has 21 starts at the MLB level under his belt. This season, Early has been impressive across 17 starts, logging a 3.44 ERA with 93 strikeouts across 91 2/3 innings. In addition to Early, Washington would land a highly rated outfield prospect in Azocar, a 19-year-old who boasts an intriguing combination of power and speed. Azocar has spent time at Single A and Advanced A, recording a .801 OPS with 13 home runs, 48 RBIs and 11 stolen bases across 75 games. 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