Nationals Could Be Presented CJ Abrams Offers That Might Blow Them Away
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The Washington Nationals lost the opener to the Atlanta Braves on Friday.
They are now sitting with a .500 record at 55-55 and sit 2.5 games out of the final NL wild card spot. This group has shown the ability to bounce back following disappointing losses, and they'll need to do that once again during this crucial set that could impact their plans ahead of the trade deadline.
Right now, it seems like Washington would prefer to stand pat or add pieces to their roster. They are working on an extension with left-handed pitcher Foster Griffin once again after previous talks failed, and they reportedly are no longer listening to offers on Luis Garcia Jr. That would suggest CJ Abrams would be off the table, too. However, it sounds like president of baseball operations Paul Toboni is keeping things open when it comes to an Abrams deal, and contenders around the league are preparing to submit offers that could force him to ship out the 25-year-old star.
Teams Getting Set to Offer Lucrative Packages for CJ Abrams
"The Nationals would need to be blown away to consider moving Abrams -- and multiple contenders are considering such offers, making the final 48 hours of the deadline an interesting time in Washington," insider Jeff Passan of ESPN reported.
Abrams has long been the crown jewel for the Nationals when it comes to a player who could kick-start their rebuild into overdrive. Many around Major League Baseball expected him to be traded this past winter, especially after MacKenzie Gore was dealt to the Texas Rangers for a return package that featured five top-30 prospects. But Toboni didn't feel like the proposals for Abrams were enough for him to make a deal, so he decided to hold onto his star shortstop and let the season play out.
Well, that decision has proven to be the right one. Abrams is a bonafide offensive superstar, and his value is even higher than it was before the start of the year. Washington should get a king's ransom for the two-time All-Star despite his defensive flaws, especially considering this seller's market.
Will the Nationals get presented an offer that causes them to move Abrams even knowing they are in the midst of a playoff race and he's the face of the franchise who is also a clear leader in the clubhouse? That remains to be seen.
Toboni and his front office have to understand the ramifications of this potential move on both sides, as it's also not clear if they'll be able to lock Abrams into a long-term extension or be able to re-sign him if he decides to hit the open market in a couple of years.
Teams around the league don't care about that dilemma, though. They want Abrams. And it sounds like they are going to make it difficult for Toboni to turn down a deal before the Aug. 3 deadline.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai