Nationals Might Not Be Motivated to Move CJ Abrams Anymore

It sounds like the Washington Nationals could choose to not deal CJ Abrams after all.

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Now multiple days removed from the conclusion of the Winter Meetings when the Washington Nationals loaded up in the Rule 5 Draft, there still remains a cloud of mystery hanging over the franchise's head.

MacKenzie Gore continues to be discussed in trade rumors. Nothing concrete has developed beyond some general interest by multiple teams across the league -- including the New York Yankees -- and that has left things in a strange place when it comes to the Nationals' offseason.

Similarly, there are more questions than answers when it comes to CJ Abrams' potential availability. At one point, it seemed like a sure thing he would be dealt this winter. But now, it's starting to sound like Washington is having some second thoughts about the possibility of trading him.

Nationals Could Decide to Hold Onto CJ Abrams After All

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"At least one club talking to the Washington Nationals about shortstop CJ Abrams is under the impression that new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni is not especially motivated to move him," reported Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required).

That was on display a bit during an interview Paul Toboni had during the Winter Meetings. He seemed surprised regarding the trade rumors surrounding Abrams, and it called into question how eager he is to actually ship out his star shortstop.

Rosenthal provided some more color on the situation, too, with the insider adding, "Toboni repeatedly has said he believes several of the Nationals' young players have 'another gear' to find in their performance. Abrams' past two seasons have been almost identical. In both, he was about 10 percent above league average offensively."

CJ Abrams cracks the first pitch of the game for a homer! pic.twitter.com/ChYR6UOBsF

— MLB (@MLB) May 18, 2025

It's been stated here at Washington Nationals On SI that the idea of trading Abrams doesn't seem to make as much sense as moving Gore. There is no clear replacement for the 25-year-old shortstop at the moment, and even though the Nationals could get a massive haul in return, not having him on the roster would greatly impact their play in 2026.

Instead, it makes sense why Toboni would want to see how Abrams can perform under the guidance of this new coaching staff and developmental program. Because if Washington is able to take Abrams' game to the next level, then they would have another premier offensive talent to pair with James Wood and Daylen Lile.

Abrams is also under club control for three more years, so there is no rush to trade him right now. If he doesn't develop like they expect and he can't figure it out defensively at shortstop, then they could look to deal him at a later date or make a position change permanent.

Still, the Nationals showed they are willing to make deals for the right offer, as evident by their Jose A. Ferrer trade. So just because one executive believes Toboni might hold onto Abrams, that doesn't mean things can't change at any given moment.