The 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline is less than a week away. Washington Nationals All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams has been on a few teams’ radar as they look to bolster their roster for the 2nd half of the season. CJ is having a monster year for the Nats, with 27 HR’s a Nats shortstop record, according to the Nationals. With higher value than ever, a CJ trade could help Team President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni stack a roster for future seasons.
While teams contemplate a decision on what moves to make, the Washington Nationals made a deal over the weekend. The Nats acquired rookie left-hander Connelly Early from the Red Sox in exchange for third baseman Curtis Mead. According to the Washington Nationals, Early has 17 starts, going 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA in 91 innings. In his first year as President of Baseball Operations, Toboni has moved to go younger and prioritize upside.
But not everyone likes the move; Mead hit .254 with 17 homers and 48 RBIs in 87 games for Washington this season. Even Toboni had comments about Mead. “The Curtis that we’ve seen this year, I think that’s Curtis for the next five years,” Toboni said. “I really, really believe that deep down inside. And to part with that, that’s really hard. But what I think would be willing to make us do it is acquiring young starting pitching. It’s incredibly difficult to do in today’s game.”
Abrams has been put in an interesting position, with teams like The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers in a position to add a player of his talents. But the Nationals are one game above .500 at 53-52 and in a tug-of-war for that final NL wild card spot. CJ has been a big part of that, having one of the best MLB seasons of his career; he, along with star James Woods, makes the Nats a team with high firepower and momentum.
Putting it in perspective, Abrams is top 10 in HRs, top 15 in batting average, and among the top in the league in RBI’s with 82, according to Yahoo Sports. Woods has similar numbers: 30 HRs, a .271 batting average, and 72 RBIs. The duo is striving this year to break this up in the middle of the run, which would have fans somewhat shocked. The DMV area has been waiting for a fun and good team to wrap themselves in, and the vibes are high on this team in the District.
With a dynamic team, the whole organization can benefit. According to National Philanthropies, the home opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers generated over $ 100k in 50/50 raffle ticket sales. Over 50k was raised for the Youth Baseball Academy in Washington, DC, and fans filled up the stadium. They love having players and teams that are entertaining and have a chance to win.
According to Reviewing The Brew by Owen Jonas, the Milwaukee Brewers have shown recent and past interest in Abrams. He reports that Spencer Nusbaum and Will Sammon of The Athletic reported yesterday that “The Brewers were one team that balked at the Nationals’ high asking price on Abrams over the winter,” and that they “are expected to explore the possibility again soon, according to people briefed on their thinking.”
The Brewers had made a trade offer to the Nationals last winter for Abrams; from my understanding, the asking price was too much for the player. So talks calmed down, but seeing them renege on those conversations suggests they are willing to up their aggression on the matter.
Possibly offering more, and that’s something front offices will listen to if they can get what they want and even more. Watching out for that sneaky transaction close to the deadline, the Brewers have the 2nd best record in baseball right now.
Toboni should be optimistic with the roster he has at the present moment, competing for the postseason and currently having two of the best hitters in the league on hot streaks. Abrams is having a career year and is on a team with another elite hitter so that the load wouldn’t be as heavy. Letting the season ride and seeing where the team ends up is probably the best option for this summer, and revisiting this conversation should happen after the season ends.
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