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TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 05: Brian Cashman, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the New York Yankees, looks on before game two of the American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on October 05, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

MLB trade deadline rumors are starting to heat up, and with just over a month and a half to go until the deadline, top trade candidates are starting to materialize. For the New York Yankees, it’s becoming clear they need upgrades on the left side of the infield and bullpen reinforcements.

A recent report by MLB insider Robert Murray indicates that the Yankees are the best fit for potential infield trade candidate CJ Abrams:

“If the Washington Nationals made CJ Abrams available at the trade deadline, a long list of teams would be gunning for his services. But one team in particular stands out as potentially the best fit of all: The New York Yankees.”

Murray then points to the fact that Anthony Volpe was supposed to be the team’s shortstop of the future, but to put it lightly, that hasn’t been the case.

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What Happens with Anthony Volpe if the Yankees Trade for CJ Abrams?

GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 19: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees runs after a single during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on May 19, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

The Yankees front office and coaching staff knows it, too, Anthony Volpe has got to go. He underwent offseason labrum surgery, so Volpe has been given a handful of at-bats since returning from injury to fully determine if that shoulder issue was the reason for his struggles down the stretch last season.

However, in 67 at-bats this season, Volpe is hitting .194 with one home run, 9 RBI, and an OPS+ of 72. Even those statistics are down from his career averages (.221/.284/.376).

At this point, the Yankees are really only reflecting poorly on their organization for letting Volpe get so many chances, and as Murray outlines, CJ Abrams would be a clear upgrade at the position, and given the years of future control, Brian Cashman should be prepared to surrender a lot if he’s made available at the MLB trade deadline.

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CJ Abrams Fit in New York

GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 08: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals is congratulated by Keibert Ruiz #20 after Abrams scored the go ahead run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the ninth inning at Oracle Park on June 08, 2026 in San Francisco, California. The Nationals won the game 4-3. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Even the thought of CJ Abrams being Anthony Volpe’s replacement should bring a smile to New York Yankees fans across MLB.

Abrams is hitting .284 this season with 14 home runs, 51 RBI, and 71 hits. You don’t need to be a mathematician to understand how much better those numbers are than Volpe’s. Abrams could slot right into the shortstop position, and the Yankees can option Volpe back down to the minors before finding a trade partner for him in his own right.

The unfortunate part of this whole CJ Abrams to the Yankees development is that Abrams is perhaps performing so well this season that the Washington Nationals will still view him as a cornerstone franchise piece instead of a movable asset.

Regardless if it’s CJ Abrams ends up getting traded, I think Yankees fans can agree on the sentiment that Brian Cashman needs to urgently be looking for a new shortstop, or perhaps New York rides out the failed Anthony Volpe experiment until George Lombard Jr. is ready for his MLB debut.

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