TODAY: In a radio interview on 106.7 The Fan (hat tip to Talk Nats), Toboni pushed back on the idea that the Nationals are trying to move Abrams. “I will give you the cliche response that probably every GM in every sport gives — we’d be dumb not to listen, right?” Toboni said. “It’s not like we are calling other teams and looking to trade CJ….While we’ll always listen, we’re going to take it day-by-day. And see what comes our way. If there’s something that makes sense, we’ll talk about it. But it hasn’t even come close at this point in time.”
JANUARY 22: Paul Toboni made the most significant move of his first offseason running baseball operations for the Nationals. The Nats shipped MacKenzie Gore to the Rangers for a five-prospect package headlined by last year’s 12th overall pick Gavin Fien. Washington also swapped high-upside reliever Jose A. Ferrer to the Mariners for rookie catcher Harry Ford early in the offseason.
The team remains amidst a rebuild, as Toboni acknowledged without using that specific term. “I think we’ve got to be honest with ourselves,” he told reporters after the Gore deal (link via Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). “The truth is – and I don’t think this is a mystery to the fanbase, the media or anyone – we lost 96 games last year. To turn it around in one year and make the playoffs … not to say it can’t be done, but it’s a challenge. What we want to do is make sure we build this really strong foundation, so when we do start to push chips in, we can win for an extended period of time.”
That naturally leads to speculation about their other veteran players. Shortstop CJ Abrams has come up in rumors throughout the offseason. Spencer Nusbaum, Andrew Golden and Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post write that the Nationals have shopped Abrams and center fielder Jacob Young over the winter.
In Abrams’ case, that could simply be a matter of semantics. It’s no secret the Nationals have heard teams out on the talented infielder, who has reportedly gotten interest from the Royals (surely among various other clubs). Whether they’re initiating the calls or simply seriously considering interest isn’t a major distinction. The asking price remains high, as The Washington Post report indicates the Nats may need a stronger return to move Abrams than the one they received for Gore.
That’s motivated largely by the club control window. Gore was down to two seasons of arbitration eligibility; Abrams is three years away from free agency. The infielder is also marginally cheaper, as he’s signed for $4.2MM compared to Gore’s $5.6MM salary. The extra control year is the bigger factor, as the Nationals presumably expect to contend by 2028 even if they’re not trying to compete this year.
[Related: The Best Fits For A CJ Abrams Trade]
In each of the past two seasons, Abrams has been an excellent hitter through the All-Star Break before tailing off in the second half. He has been a little better than average overall, hitting .252/.315/.433 in more than 1200 plate appearances over the past two years. Abrams has 39 homers and 62 stolen bases with slightly lower than average strikeout and walk marks in that time. He’s an above-average regular who has an All-Star level ceiling that he has yet to consistently reach.
Abrams gives back some of the value with the glove. He’s one of the weaker shortstops in MLB and trails only Elly De La Cruz with 39 errors over the past two seasons. They’ve mostly been of the throwing variety, yet Statcast hasn’t looked favorably upon his range either. Abrams would project better at second base or potentially in center field. He has been a full-time shortstop on a Washington team that has probably had the worst all-around infield defense in the majors.
Despite the drawbacks, Abrams should have substantial appeal on the trade market. He’s a 25-year-old plus athlete who fits somewhere in the middle of the diamond. He’s a former sixth overall pick and top prospect who has stretches where he’s an excellent table-setter in one of the top two lineup spots. The Nats should demand a haul to part with him when he’s controllable for three seasons. In addition to Kansas City, teams like the Giants, Red Sox, Mariners and Padres (the club that drafted him and dealt him to Washington in the Juan Soto deal) are speculative fits. Those teams could all upgrade at second base, and many of them have been involved on another lefty-hitting trade chip, Brendan Donovan.
Young hasn’t gotten much attention as a trade candidate this winter. He’s overshadowed by bigger names like Gore and Abrams and certainly wouldn’t command as big a return. However, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes that the Nationals have gotten interest from teams looking to improve in center field. Those clubs would be on Young for his years of affordable control and elite glove.
The 26-year-old is still in his pre-arbitration seasons and at least four years from free agency. He stole 33 bases and probably should have won a Gold Glove in 2024, as he led MLB outfielders with 20 Outs Above Average that season. Defensive Runs Saved wasn’t quite so bullish but graded him 12 runs above par. Young posted similarly impressive defensive metrics last year, tallying +13 DRS and 14 OAA despite losing nearly 350 innings of playing time relative to the prior season. He missed a couple weeks between May and June after spraining the AC joint in his left shoulder when he ran into a wall at Camden Yards tracking a Ramón Laureano fly ball.
Excellent as Young is defensively, he’s not going to provide much at the plate. He’s coming off a .231/.296/.287 season and has a career .247/.310/.316 batting line in just over 1000 plate appearances. Young makes a lot of contact but puts most of it on the ground and has very little power. The right-handed hitter has been slightly better against southpaws over his career, but he’s a below-average offensive player against pitchers of either handedness.
There are some parallels between Young and top free agent center fielder Harrison Bader, but the latter is coming off a career year at the plate. Teams that don’t want to meet Bader’s asking price could view Young as a reasonable fallback. The center field market is almost always thin, both in free agency and trade. The Diamondbacks, Guardians, Royals, Phillies, Angels, Tigers, White Sox and Orioles are among the teams that could use a righty-hitting center fielder/fourth outfielder. Washington has no need to force a Young trade, but they could deal him and play Dylan Crews in center between a corner outfield tandem of James Wood and Daylen Lile.
Yankees would be a great fit for Abrams. Dodgers as well. Betts is on the decline.
Or we let everyone else have a turn for f’s sake do these 2 cities really need to HOARD talent like the rest of the country doesnt wanna see star players also!
the yanks hoard talent? have you seen the off-season and their SS depth chart?
Let me play a sad song on the world’s smallest violin for Yankees fans.
No need for that, but if that’s what does it for you? Good luck with all of that.
It’s a trade, not a purchase. Every team has a chance.
Sort of. The rich can make decisions to trade away their top guys far easier than the poor.
#YDS. Yankee Derangement Syndrome.
Relax there, Tiger. He has multiple years of control, so that would require a trade. All teams may participate. Many will have stronger farm teams.
YDS. Careful there. That abbreviation is loaded. 😂
The difference being – there actually is some level of YDS at times, while the subject on the related side is simply deranged.
True. : -)
You’re absolutely right. The hate the Yankees get is actually a good measure of the success they have had through the clubs history whether you are impressed with their present iteration or not. Oh, and I appreciate that you said “there ACTUALLY is..” Maybe Im adding the emphasis. Not trying to start something.
BTW – I am not trying to oversell the YDS at this point. The Yankees had their greatest runs of dominance prior to free agency and when winning the pennant meant heading to the Series. They had some tremendous advantages with their market in NY and it was simply a different era. They could use KC as basically a farm team and once they won the league there was no knockout series (or three) to work through just to have a shot at the WS.
Today, it is more of Huge Market Syndrome, however there is always some truth to why folks are upset. As a Phillies fan, I won’t whine about it, as even though we are at a huge disadvantage as compared to the LA / NY markets and a smaller gap with the Chicago /Boston markets (that is, if their ownership decides to flex their muscles) we are still just a smaller big dog that can compete in FA, and in extending our own with far greater ease than the bottom twenty markets.
Abrams is not a star player. He is a bad defensive shortstop who hits a little bit. 3.4 bWAR average the last 3 seasons. 2.4 WAR or barely league average if you like fWAR.
Abrams is a lefty and won’t be cheap. I don’t see the Yankees being involved
Literal LOL.
With Bichette moving to 3B, Abrams is now the worst defensive SS in the majors. baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/fielding-run-va…
He has only been a 3.4 WAR player with a 105 OPS+ the last 3 seasons, so not even All Star caliber. He is going into his 5th season in the majors so he we know what kind of player he is and that is good but far from great. Because he is a bad defensive SS that is not an exceptional hitter like Bichette, he won’t be very expensive. Much less than the return the Nationals got for Gore. I think they must be asking for too much and other teams have said no thanks.
Where would Abrams play for the Yankees? Abrams is unplayable at ss, for a contending team.
Second base. and move jazz to third. None of there infield is set for the future. Even volpe. And they need to make some sort of move offensively they can’t just run it back. And they don’t want to spend money either. So this would be a fitting move. But I agree with mr tiger. I would rather see him go somewhere else…
@smashers
CJ is a lefty, is not an upgrade with the glove and is not an upgrade with his bat, so why risk forcing Jazz to 3B, a position he’ll play but not happily. Then what do you do with McMahon who’s signed for 2/$32 mil at 3B?
“They don’t want to spend money” while they just gave Belli a big check…I’m a Yankee fan and don’t want to sit around while knuckleheads like you say ignorant crap like this. If you’re a Yankee fan too, think of teams like the pirates, guardians, and marlins when you think of not spending money
In fairness. Cleveland did just spend $175 on Ramirez with a new extension, although that’s still way below market price.
Jazz is at his best at 2B. He’s a plus fielder there and every time Miami had him play other positions he’d get injured.
Lord D – yeah paying him that much is not fair (in MLB world) lol. Ramirez is a 1 of a kind dude
Volpe can’t field either, plus he can’t hit. Abrams can at least hit the ball and make up for his negative defensive value.
Dodgers don’t need SS.
GM-speak to English Translation: “You should expect a trade of Abrams any day now, but we have been asking far more than a 3 WAR shortstop who is terrible on defense is worth so we have not had any bites yet.”
Starting to think Abrams to the Yankees also. Anthony Volpe, Ben Hess, and a Roderick Arias seems about right. Can Abrams play shortstop?
I still like Volpe, but doubt the Nats would be interested. You should get the Pirates involved. They need a SS, and the ‘good’ would be a heck of a pivotal acquisition for Pitt.
Decline? Betts worst year is better than Abrams best lol.
20 outs are more valuable than 12 runs? Franco you often compare these two stats like it’s not apples to oranges. 1 run is certainly worth more than 2 outs
And one knee equals two feet.
Exactly zippy and I’d rather have 2 feet and 1 knee vs 2 knees and 1 foot. The point is each team gets 27 outs every game but they never get 27 runs. Saving an out doesn’t equal saving a run
Yes, 20 Outs Above Average for an outfielder are worth more than 12 runs. Each OAA for an OF’er is worth approximately 0.9 runs.
baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/outs_above_aver…
tangotiger.com/index.php/site/comments/statcast-la…
realist, OAA only takes into account the components of range; velocity of ball in play, distance covered to get to the ball, plus if there was an out recorded on the play. That is not a complete definition of what defense is for any position. If you want to use a StatCast defensive measure, use FRV or Fielding Run Value. Its more comprehensive. It does not take into account as many factors as DRS does, but by comparing the two you get a better idea of defensive performance than with OAA.
Tom later spoke about that the article you linked only covered bases empty situations.
ChiSox for Young
Trade the whole 26-man roster? Or just the starting 8?
Mariners should be in on Abrams. They have the best minor league system in the game (according to publications) and could use a near all-star at 2B. A package bigger than Gore’s? They can certainly match that package if they wanted to and add in a major-league ready, 21-year-old 2B in Cole Young. All that said, I’m not sure anyone is actually working at the Mariners office right now. The crickets are chirping in SODO.
I don’t think the M’s would add Abrams due to his past personality issues. They could hope that being on a competitive team helps him reach his ceiling like Jazz going to the Yankees. However, the risk that playing in a tough to hit environment like Seattle with expectant fans could prove too much for him.
In the end, the Mariners could very well see Cole Young as being able to provide similar value given Abrams 2nd half struggles and weak xwOBAs.
The personality issue was Abrams staying out to late at Casino’s (as late as 5 AM on game days) and was disciplined by the Nationals which cost him $30 thousand and was sent down to the minors. He has not repeated that behavior in 2025. He had recently turned 24 by the time of the disciplinary action. I searched for more issues but that seems to be it. I think you are overstating the concern.
Why not wood?
He’s not a free agent until 2031, don’t need to trade him. Ideally he’s extended and the core piece you build around. If they’re serious about being competitive though they really need to start drafting better. This team just keeps missing on their picks. It doesn’t matter what you do in free agency if you can’t develop your own players.
Amen, brother. Elijah Green, step right up. As noted, though, this has been going on before him. He just is the biggest miss.
If he’s willing to move to 2b, I’d like the jays to go out and get him. Clement + some prospects.
Clement doesn’t fit the Nationals timeline at all.
He’s cheap and a replacement for Abrams. It would be the prospects that would headline the deal.
In which case, why include him? He’s a valuable utility piece for the Jays.
If they make an offer, it’s probably something like Nimmala, Tiedemann and a few others given the Nats value him more than Gore.
I assume they’d need a replacement SS
Eh they’d probably just go with someone random and cheap. They clearly aren’t trying to win games in 2026.
Probably true, sadly
Abrams to the Blue Jays
Yankees for sure. Volpe needs to go
@Taker
Volpe has a better glove, historically. Volpe is a righty which we need more of and CJ’s bat isn’t much of an upgrade. What’s the point?
3rd best Yankee ever drafted by Cashman ( in terms of WAR ). He is going nowhere.
Nats could reload the farm, draft well, and have a nice young team in 2028.
Minor league ball will continue during the lockout, so they’ll get to develop the kids.
With minor leaguers joining the MLBPA won’t they also be apart of the lockout?
I’m confident I’ve read otherwise but I’m far from infallible
You’re pretty close. Dont sell yourself short.
Thanks.
I looked again and minor leaguers are under the MLBPA umbrella but their own union. They would not be locked out.
Guys on the 40 man rosters who might still be in the minors would be locked out, but the vast majority of minor leaguers would not.
The owners would be locking out the MLBPA members, so probably wouldn’t be a minor league season either.
MiLB players are part of the MLBPA.
mlbplayers.com/milb-players
They have a separate CBA, so its possible that they are not part of a lockout, but you can be sure they would honor the MLBPA being locked out and strike since the major league CBA effects them as well.
Its a separate CBA, so not sure if the minor league players can strike. I guess we will see if it happens. I am not convinced that the owners are actually willing to lose $15-16 billion to get concessions from the MLBPA. Cutting off your nose to spite your face territory there.
Has the Nats rebuild gone so badly they are trying to trade the Juan Soto return in yet another rebuild?
Miss that they fired everyone?
Rebuilding the rebuild.
This is it exactly.
And its funny as a Padres fan, everyone that cried that they basically stacked the Nationals team for years of success, but even the Nats don’t want to keep them. Not that Abrams and Gore are bad, because obviously they’re good players, but theyre being dealt again. I said then that the only one we’d regret trading was Wood, and that still holds true.
The Nationals return for Soto wasn’t the problem. It was the lack of talent elsewhere. The Nats absolutely fleeced the Padres on that deal
Trades are almost always something you have to look at over a long term basis and look at the trade chain, not the singular event.
For the Nationals, 3+ seasons later the Soto/Bell trade has not created a higher WAR for them than the Padres received from Soto and the players they traded Soto for a year later. That should change by the end of 2026 with both Wood and Abrams still on the roster for the Nationals each getting 3-4 WAR and Vasquez and Brito still on the roster for the Padres getting a total of 3 WAR or so. As of today, the Padres are still ahead.
Short answer. Yes.
Who says no?
Cj Abrahams
for
Nick Gonzales (INF)Termarr Johnson (2B)Antwone Kelly (RP)Tomas Harrington (RHP)Edgleen Perez (OF) Khristian Curtis (RHP)
Thinking it would be a less volume but better headliner quality than this. Abrams value is being relatively inexpensive at least this year for an okay player/tablesetter that was overhyped. The last couple arb seasons of deal he’ll be making near/in 8 figures.
Not sure that works for either side.
The Pirates already have a failed SS turned CF for the next two years, so doubt they’d want Abrams in CF. They have Lowe at 2B this year, and they’d probably prefer to put Termarr at 2B next year rather than be on the hook for the arb salaries. He could play SS of course, but he’s bad there and you’re going to move him as soon as Griffin’s ready.
The Nats are probably looking for a better prospect package than that. Yet it’s more than the Pirates would want to give up.
I was trying to see a way for them to be in on Abrams. I think it’s possible that he stays at short and we allow Griffin to develop into an insane CF, move Cruz to left (or even see what a trade would bring back for him), and have a left side of Triolo and Abrams.
I think we could get Abrams for Flores (they have a need at first base), Termarr, Stafura, and Meuth/Sterling.
Jacob Young would be an excellent platoon partner for Victor Scott. He would also be a great late inning defensive replacement for Walker, Herrera, or whoever in the corners. Great defense is a developing pitcher’s best friend.
The Nationals shopping Jacob Young sounds like the Reds saying they are shopping Will Benson.
Young in 2024 is kinda what I’m expecting out of Crawford for the Phils.
The Phillies already have Johan Rojas (and prefer not to play him), so I don’t see them as a fit for Young.
The Nationals should just fold or go back to Montreal.
They arent the only team that should fold.
would be a nice replacement for Bo in Toronto. can play CJ at 2B and brings them the LH bat they wanted in FA with a bit of pop. makes Okamoto the super util they want and he basically can platoon in OF, 3B
as the Nationals presumably expect to contend by 2028
=========================
That’s a bet I’d gladly take. Once they trade CJ, their remaining talent will be Wood (with huge Ks), and Cavalli, who is still a question mark. And the farm looks weak to me.
I lost a bar bet last night and I don’t do that too often. The bet was there has only been one player that led the league in strikeouts before their 28th birthday that put up a 6 bWAR or higher season in their career.
I said no. There had to be several. I lost that bet. The only one was Bobby Bonds. Do you think Wood is as good as Bobby Bonds?
How often do players that strike out 32% of the time like Wood get to play enough to get enough PA to lead the league in strikeouts or accrue 6 WAR?
Too early for that. But I liked Bonds a lot growing up. 30/30 was fairly unusual back then. I think Wood will a better hitter, but I’ll stick with Bobby Bonds as a better all-around player.
I am also wondering why the article didn’t mention Abrams suspension/demotion for staying at a casino until 9 AM on a game day. I’m not looking to punish the kid, since I’d have probably done the same thing. But that absolutely has to be a factor for some teams.
Abrams would look good at the top of the Mariners order.. Just sayin…
That’s who immediately came to mind when I saw this article.
Shopped? Funny.
Agreed. Every team already has a great fielding/not hitting/no power outfielder somewhere in their system. That said, some of his Spider-Man-like catches are beyond belief.
His base-running blunders are also beyond belief. Deapite having legitimate 80 speed.
If the Reds had any guts, they would go after James Wood. They have prospects enough to pry him loose.
But they don’t have the guts or foresight.
Nationals trade Gore and look to trade Abrams and Young. So they are targeting trying to compete by 2031?
If a salary cap comes in the future, the floor needs to be 80% of the cap with 100% tax penalty for every dollar not spent.
$250M cap, then the floor is $200M and teams that want to spend less than $200M pay the league for every dollar not spent
That’s how you get parity, not by trading away anything of value to compete years from now.
If any owners can prove that the franchise will lose money with a $200M payroll then MLB can use profit sharing to make up the difference – but they have to legitimately prove it.
Blue jays but only as a 2b.
We also don’t really need him that bad… but still, would be a nice fit.
@Scott Harris take a look at who is available. Instant upgrade at SS!
Javy has a better glove, and McKinstry provides a decent bat. Plus McGonnigle should be ready.
Do you think McKinstry is an overall better player? I love the fact that he was an all star but he hit something like .213 after the break. Not arguing with you just curious.
I’d like to see Astros be in on a Nationals outfielder but without trading an outfield prospect. They are low on outfielders so a 1 x 1 doesn’t add depth to the position.
Imagine being so far away from competing that you’re shopping a 26 year old middle infielder? They do have a ton of depth in the middle infield in their system, probably guys that will be better defensively, but damn…
They looked like they were about to turn the corner and progress just a couple of years ago too.
Translation: “You should expect a trade of Abrams any day now, but we have been asking far more than a 3 WAR player is worth so we have not had any bites yet.”
Anthony, use FRV if you are trying to compare defensive metrics. OAA is almost entirely about range.
Over the past 2 seasons, at a 31 FRV Young was the 2nd best CF behind only PCA who had a 37 FRV.
It seems they forgot Detroit has this RH center fielder by the name of Matt Vierling.
Abrams for Walcott
Please don’t trade Jacob Young. He is the only Nat worth watching.
Toboni said just about the same exact thing about Gore, teams are approaching us but we are not shopping him. Today Gore is a Ranger.
Abrams is really not all that good. He is above average, but not a star. Other than Bichette he was the worst defensive shortstop in the game. His range is bleep. As a 2B or 3B he has less value in trade. He will still be traded because the Nationals are not going to contend until he is close to being a FA and making far to much money for them.
They gotta move or dfa young. He’s a sinkhole in the batting order. He’s got five homers and 60 or so rbi in three seasons. Four or five sports center catches a year doesn’t justify hanging on to him.
Rebuilding the rebuild is a move .
“Excellent as Young is defensively” is NOT proper English. You can’t just leave “as” out at the start of the sentence because you feel like it. Grammar is not optional, especially when you’re being paid to write.