When the Washington Nationals announced that CJ Abrams would be vacating his familiar spot at shortstop to take over second base for the rest of the season, it seemed like a long time coming. If you’ve been following our coverage, you already know we’ve been pounding the drum on this for a while. We previously broke down why an eventual move to the keystone was inevitable. His offensive production is elite. Still, the defensive metrics at short just haven’t held up over the long haul.
Well, the move is officially happening, with Nasim Nuñez taking over at short. But there’s a catch: Abrams isn’t exactly jumping for joy.
The Camp Speaks Out
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Abrams’ agent, Mike Sanders of Roc Nation Sports, made it clear that his client is “not thrilled” with the Nationals’ decision. While Sanders emphasized that CJ is a team-first guy whose priority is to win games, he also noted that Abrams views himself as a shortstop both now and in the long term, adding that they don’t believe the team has fully evaluated how good he can truly be there.
Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni acknowledged the friction, noting that it would be “weird if he weren’t” upset, given that playing shortstop has been a massive part of Abrams’ baseball identity his entire life.
You have to respect Abrams’ competitive fire. He is putting together an incredible offensive campaign, racking up 28 home runs, 91 RBIs, and an .884 OPS. He was the National League’s All-Star starter at shortstop. But you also can’t ignore the leather. Abrams currently leads the majors with 19 errors and has consistently graded out near the bottom of the league in Outs Above Average over his career. Manager Blake Butera made the tough but necessary call to improve middle-infield defense.
Will This Fuel Winter CJ Abrams Trade Rumors?
Here is where things get really interesting. Abrams is under club control through 2028, but as his arbitration salary rises and his free agency window inches closer, the Nationals will eventually have to decide on his long-term future. Do they extend him, or do they move him?
With his camp publicly expressing uneasiness about the position switch, this situation could be the spark that finally brings those lingering trade rumors to fruition this winter. If Abrams remains dug in on wanting to be a major league shortstop, and the Nationals stay devoted to improving their infield defense by keeping him at second — or eventually making room for recent first-round draft picks like Eli Willits or Seaver King — a split might be the most logical outcome.
Abrams’ trade value will arguably never be higher than it is right now. He has proven he is one of the most electric offensive middle infielders in baseball. If another franchise believes they can live with his defensive shortcomings at shortstop or believes they can fix them, Washington could command an absolute haul in return.
For now, we will get a six-week look at CJ Abrams turning double plays from the right side of the diamond. But keep a close eye on this storyline. What started as a late-season defensive adjustment could quickly turn into the biggest blockbuster of the MLB offseason.
