MLB rumors: When could Nationals trade CJ Abrams after MacKenzie Gore deal?

When the Washington Nationals signed president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez to contract extensions in the summer of 2023, it appeared that the franchise’s rebuild was nearing completion. The Lerner family believed the team was heading in the right direction after jumping up to 71 wins that year. Fast forward to 2026, and a new reconstruction project is seemingly just getting started.

And new men are leading it. The Nationals’ shot-callers are almost twice as young as their predecessors and they are wasting little time in introducing their own plan for Washington baseball. The organization just shipped out All-Star pitcher MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers for a sizable prospect package, leaving fans to wonder when the next big trade will happen.

CJ Abrams and Jacob Young have both been shopped, according to Spencer Nusbaum and Andrew Golden of The Washington Post. Abrams, a 2024 All-Star who possesses an intriguing combination of offensive upside and blazing speed, is bound to generate interest on the trade market. But the Nats may take their time to find a suitable deal.

“I wouldn’t be shocked if CJ [Abrams] is traded closer to the deadline than this winter, but I would also say if he got traded a day from now, I also wouldn’t be all that shocked,” Nusbaum told “The Foul Territory” podcast on Friday. “I know that’s maybe not a fair hedge, but I think the Nationals have more possibility to wait on CJ than maybe they did with MacKenzie given the injury risk there.”

"I wouldn't be shocked if CJ [Abrams] is traded closer to the deadline than this winter."@SpencerNusbaum_ also wouldn't be surprised if he was traded tomorrow though. pic.twitter.com/NecW0oa1NV

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 23, 2026

Nationals should get good value for CJ Abrams 

Abrams was once considered a franchise pillar, but following inconsistent production and maturity concerns, his future with Washington became much more uncertain. With new president of baseball ops Paul Toboni focused on maximizing return value and reshuffling the roster, the shortstop’s departure now feels inevitable. Abrams slashed .257/.315/.433/.748 with 19 home runs, 60 RBIs, 35 doubles and 31 stolen bases last season.

He is only 25 years of age and is still under club control, making him an attractive trade candidate should a contender suddenly covet an upgrade in their middle field. Abrams still has time to develop into an unquestioned game-changer, but he may not get the chance to do so in Washington D.C.

MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams were two key players who came over in the 2022 Juan Soto blockbuster. One is gone, and the other could be wearing a different uniform before year’s end. The move that was supposed to launch the team back into relevance is now being used by a new regime to launch the team back into relevance. As the legend grows, the Nationals remain stuck in obscurity.

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