MLB Rumors: Nationals Getting Bombarded With Calls On One Player
.jpg "Washington Nationals infielder CJ Abrams celebrates during 2025 game.")
Multiple reports say teams are “aggressively” pursuing a CJ Abrams trade, and rival GMs now fully expect both Gore and Abrams to be moved. New president of baseball operations Paul Toboni told clubs weeks ago he would listen, and with the free agent market for shortstops and pitching getting expensive fast, the calls have only gotten louder.
Abrams, 25, is coming off back-to-back above-average seasons at the plate and still has three years of team control, making him exactly the type of young, affordable infielder contenders are desperate to pry loose.
Why CJ Abrams has become a premium trade chip
Abrams is not a finished product, but you can see why he is such a hot name. Over the last two seasons he has hit in the .250s with a 107 wRC+, flashed growing power and swiped more than 60 bags, including 31 steals in each of the last two years.
He already owns the rare combo of 55 plus homers and 100 plus steals before turning 25, and he has stayed on the field, logging 144 to 151 games in two of his three full years in Washington. That profile, paired with a projected 2026 salary around the mid single digit millions and Super Two arbitration that still keeps him cheap relative to his production, makes him an easy roster fit almost anywhere.
The catch is that his defense at short has lagged behind his bat. Metrics paint a rough picture, with negative Defensive Runs Saved and deeply underwater Outs Above Average across more than 4,300 innings. More and more evaluators see him as a future second baseman, which might actually expand his market given how thin that position has become around the league.
The Washington Nationals are drawing heavy interest in CJ Abrams, per @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/iFVG2AYdYB
— SleeperMLB (@SleeperMLB) December 8, 2025
From a Nationals perspective, this is where the decision gets messy. Abrams was supposed to be one of the crown jewels of the Juan Soto trade and has become a fan favorite during a long, painful rebuild.
At the same time, Washington has lost 90 plus games four straight years and just cleaned house on the coaching staff, hiring 33 year old Blake Butera in the dugout and bringing in Toboni to reset the front office. They have a few clear building blocks in James Wood, Dylan Crews, Gore and emerging bats like Daylen Lile, but the system still needs more impact talent.
Trading Abrams while he is coming off a three win season could net multiple Top 100 level prospects or young arms and accelerate a deeper reset, especially if Toboni targets pitching rich clubs.
Paul Toboni seemed surprised by CJ Abrams trade talk. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/B7o1FdRR6t
— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) December 8, 2025
Think about teams like the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds, or even the San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates, all of whom need infield help and have young pitching to move.
That is the kind of package it will take.
Washington is not under pressure to dump salary, and reports are clear that the asking price is sky high. If someone pays it, the Nats will be “rebuilding the rebuild.” If they do not, Abrams remains an extension candidate and a core piece of whatever comes next in D.C.
Photo Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
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