One Yankees Trade Target Already Clear After 1 Month

A certain NL club could give New York the offensive boost it needs.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman should already have a trade target in mind if he wants to upgrade his club's interior infield. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It's hard to believe that we're already more than one month into the 2026 MLB season, but here we are.

The last week or so hasn't been smooth sailing for the Yankees; however, that's just a small sample size from an otherwise solid campaign so far. Aaron Boone's club opened Wednesday just two games back of the Rays for the AL East and American League leads, and with so much baseball left to play, there's all the reason to believe that the best is yet to come.

As great as the Yankees have looked at times, there's always room for improvement. New York's shortstop situation is one area that could use an upgrade. Although José Caballero has exceeded expectations as the lead SS, even forcing Anthony Volpe to the minors, he isn't an All-Star difference-maker. It also remains to be seen how Caballero will look when he returns from his 10-day injured list stint.

José Caballero has played better than the Yankees expected, but that doesn't mean he has a lock on the starting SS spot. | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

With Volpe still a question mark and it being too early to tell if Caballero has what it takes to remain the starter all season, the Yankees might want to consider trading for another shortstop. The annual trade deadline isn't until Aug. 3, giving general manager Brian Cashman just under three months to figure out a plan.

Fortunately, for Cashman and the Yankees, the perfect SS upgrade could be available for a trade sooner rather than later.

Yankees trade target: Nationals' CJ Abrams is the ideal shortstop upgrade

Being over a month into the MLB season means potential trade deadline buyers are already separating themselves from the sellers, and vice versa. The Yankees won't have any issues finding a team that's willing to unload its pieces. That includes the sub-.500 Nationals, who could be open to trading All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams.

Abrams, 25, has been in the nation's capital since he was a part of the Juan Soto blockbuster trade in 2002. The Alpharetta, GA Native became an instant starter and didn't look back, amassing 57 home runs, 189 RBIs, 109 stolen bases with as many walks, a 10.2 WAR and a 105 OPS+ in 433 games (1,684 at-bats). His defense isn't elite; however, it wasn't that long ago in 2023 when he paced the Majors in putouts (245) and double-plays thrown (100).

CJ Abrams would be an immediate upgrade for the Yankees' shortstop situation. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Abrams still has two arbitration years remaining on his contract, according to Spotrac, so it isn't like the Nationals need to trade him. At the same time, that level of team control is exactly why Washington should be open to any potential offers. He won't be in his prime for much longer, and if the Nats don't view Abrams as a long-term cornerstone anymore, it will be better to move on sooner rather than later.

Abrams is in the middle of an electric performance, and the Yankees would be foolish not to see if they can inject that electricity into their lineup. The former 2019 first-rounder is slashing at a career-best rate of .293/.391/.531 with a whopping 164 OPS+ in 41 games (147 ABs). He's drawn 19 walks while stealing seven bases, and his nine home runs and 36 RBIs put him on pace for 35 and 142, respectively, in a 162-game season.

While he's been great offensively, Abrams's defense has left much to be desired this season.

Cade Cavalli induced a ground ball right at CJ Abrams for a routine double play. Would've ended inning. Abrams couldn't field ball.

The error eventually Cavalli 11 more pitches and two runs. pic.twitter.com/ZLDPu2tNeM

— Grant Paulsen (@GrantPaulsen) April 7, 2026

As of Wednesday afternoon, he leads the MLB with seven errors and owns the worst outs above average (minus-7) among 34 qualified shortstops, per Baseball Savant. The Yankees could overlook those shortcomings given that Abrams's bat is that much better than Caballero's and Volpe's. A fresh start in the Big Apple and under Boone could inspire him to play more confidently on defense.

The Yankees could also view Abrams as a potential long-term fit at second base. Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s future is up in the air amid an underwhelming 2026 performance. He will also be an unrestricted free agent this winter, so if New York likes the idea of Abrams at 2B, it'd be a lot easier to move on from Chisholm.

The more the Nationals lose, the more likely it is that teams will call them about Abrams's availability. The Yankees must realize this and beat them to the punch. Even if it means offering a top prospect like Carlos Lagrange or Spencer Jones to get the job done, the juice will be worth the squeeze if Abrams's bat makes a seamless transition and he can play above-average defense.

The potential benefits that a summer-time blockbuster would bring are too enticing to ignore. The Yankees have every reason to start working on a trade for Abrams, as it'd undoubtedly bolster their odds of winning the World Series in October.