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WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 03: Blake Butera #10 of the Washington Nationals walks to the mound to make a pitching change during the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park on June 03, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)
The Washington Nationals have been a surprising team this year. After missing the postseason and finishing under .500 for six consecutive years, the Nationals find themselves just one game back in the National League wild card race at 37-35.
The team may be near the end of its rebuild and potentially ready to contend again for the first time since their 2019 World Series title. But what they’ll do at the trade deadline is still anybody’s guess.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report listed a few surprising players that could potentially be on the move, and among them was star shortstop CJ Abrams.
“On one hand, Abrams is only 25 years old, and as one of the pieces they acquired from the San Diego Padres for Juan Soto in August 2022, you would think the Nationals would want to build their team around him,” Kelly wrote.
“On the other hand, new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni didn’t trade for Abrams, so he may not feel as tied to him as his predecessor, Mike Rizzo, did.
“If Toboni doesn’t think ownership will pony up to sign Abrams long-term, perhaps he tries to maximize the return for the shortstop now.”
Could CJ Abrams Be On the Move?
Abrams has hit .290/.377/.517 with 14 home runs, 53 EBI, 1o stolen bases, a 2.6 WAR and an .894 OPS this season with the Nationals. In the event that the Nationals even consider trading him, they could bring back a haul of prospects and major league ready talent to boost the farm system and roster.
It’s going to take quite a haul for the Nationals to consider moving on from Abrams. He has three years of club control after 2026. Perhaps the Nationals could consider moving him to supplement other areas of the roster.
This is an interesting trade scenario though. With the Nationals just now back in contention, it might not be the best idea to move on from Abrams, considering that he is still just 25 years old, has years of club control remaining and is a big part of what the Nationals are trying to do.
He was the headliner in the Juan Soto trade with the San Diego Padres back in 2022, and the Nationals acquired him with the intent of him being a superstar, and so far, he has been just that for a team that may finally be starting to find its identity after six years of missing the playoffs and struggling.
Don’t Panic, Nationals Fans
Before fans read too much into this, it’s important to note that this is only a hypothetical scenario, and the likelihood of an Abrams trade actually happening is probably very slim. The Nationals are in contention for the first time in several years, and he is arguably their best player, so trading him wouldn’t make much sense, especially when their window to contend is just now opening up.
It will be interesting to see if the Nationals might consider it a few years down the road, but for the 2026 season, the chances of an Abrams trade are very slim.
Curt Bishop Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who has written for various outlets including Heavy Sports, Sports Illustrated, FanSided, The Sporting News, Newsweek and Yardbarker. His work entails mostly breaking and trending news with a concentration on Major League Baseball (MLB). Curt graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a bachelor's degree in communications with a focus on emerging and new media, as well as a music minor. More about Curt Bishop