Blake Butera, CJ Abrams Set Goal for What Nationals Star Should Accomplish This Year
In this story:
Despite the trade rumors that surround star shortstop CJ Abrams, he is in spring training camp and is expected to be a starter on Opening Day for the Washington Nationals.
That could very well change if a good enough offer is made to president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, but the new executive went out of his way to state publicly that he is not actively shopping the 25-year-old around the league.
So, until something gets done that would see Abrams depart this roster, it's best to operate like he is going to be a major part of this Nationals team going forward. And as new manager Blake Butera starts to get acclimated to his players, he and Abrams both agreed on a goal the young star should accomplish this season.
CJ Abrams Aims to Be An All-Star Once Again in 2026
"I told him a couple days ago, 'Hey, you should be an All-Star this year.' And he's like, 'I know. That's my goal,'" Butera said to reporters.
Abrams was named an All-Star in 2024. During the first half of that campaign, he slashed .268/.343/.489 with 15 home runs, 21 doubles, six triples and 48 RBIs. That really boosted his profile into stardom and made it seem like he might be competing in the Midsummer Classic on an annual basis. However, he missed out this past season.
Interestingly, though, Abrams' numbers were largely the same. He slashed .287/.353/.483 with 12 home runs, 20 doubles, four triples and 33 RBIs in the first half. But he was not picked as an All-Star, with the starting honor going to Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets and Elly De La Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds getting the reserve spot.
Getting to the point where Abrams is a no-doubt All-Star will be the next step in his development. And it's something both he and his manager are aiming to see during the upcoming campaign.
Blake Butera Has High Praise for CJ Abrams
Count Butera as someone who is a fan of Abrams and his game. Setting that lofty goal wasn't just lip service by the skipper as he gets to know his best players. He truly believes Abrams has the ceiling to accomplish that this year and beyond.
"I know he's a great player just from watching him from the other side of the field. Just watching the way he plays the games, he's one of the best players in baseball, in my opinion, or has the potential to be," Butera stated.
CJ Abrams cracks the first pitch of the game for a homer! pic.twitter.com/ChYR6UOBsF
— MLB (@MLB) May 18, 2025
The first-year MLB manager says he's going to push Abrams this season. The talented youngster has shown a willingness to be coached so his game will improve. But there has also been some immature moments in the past. So it will be interesting to see how everything shakes out. However, Butera made sure to note Abrams has entered spring training with a great mentality.
"He came into camp early. He was here before position players had to report. He seems motivated. He's got the right head on his shoulders right now. He's saying all the right things, doing all the right things, he's leading by example," the skipper stated.
More Nationals News
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