Yankees Should Trade Top Prospects For CJ Abrams, Not Tarik Skubal

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman would be wise to pursue a deal with the Washington Nationals for shortstop CJ Abrams.

Jun 14, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (5) fields a ground ball against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

The clock is ticking. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman knows this. Question is, what will he decide to do before the Aug. 3 trade deadline?

The MLB rumor mill is already churning potential deals left and right. Some of them have the Yankees chasing Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.

While there's no doubt Skubal would be an instant upgrade to the starting rotation, Cashman would be wise to invest his resources elsewhere.

Where exactly, you ask? Our nation's capital, where Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams plays.

Why not Skubal?

There's no doubting Skubal's resume. The two-time American League Cy Young Award winner would give the Yankees an unrivaled rotation. Imagine going into the postseason with five aces: Skubal, Gerrit Cole, Cam Schlittler, Carlos Rodón and Max Fried. That's really tempting.

But here's the problem. Skubal will be a free agent after the season. This could be Juan Soto all over again. There's no guarantee Skubal would be anything more than a rental. If the Tigers are demanding top-100 prospects in return (which the New York Post's Jon Heyman is reporting), would the Yankees really want to trade their future for a three-month run with Skubal?

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On top of that, let's face it: the Yankees don't need Skubal. Their rotation is already one of the best in the big leagues. And you don't need a five-man rotation in the postseason. Cashman would be wise to invest his time and resources fixing one of the gaping holes on the roster.

Why Abrams makes sense

It's no secret the Yankees aren't satisfied with Anthony Volpe at shortstop. Yes, José Caballero has been doing a nice job, hitting .264 with seven home runs this season. But the utility infielder owns a lifetime .234 batting average and .670 OPS.

Volpe owns similarly underwhelming lifetime numbers: .223 batting average and .663 OPS. It's time for the Yankees to admit what many fans already know: Volpe is not the future at shortstop and the club can no longer try to hide it with role players.

That brings us to Abrams. He's hitting .285 this season with 14 home runs and .876 OPS. The former All-Star has hit at least 18 home runs in each of the three previous seasons. He's a lifetime .253 hitter with .736 OPS. While those aren't Derek Jeter numbers, they represent a significant upgrade from Volpe.

Jun 14, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (5) hits the ball into play against the Seattle Mariners during the eighth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

On top of that, Abrams is a left-handed bat and would provide first baseman Ben Rice, a surging AL MVP candidate, some insurance in case aging slugger Paul Goldschmidt starts regressing before Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge return from the injured list.

And keep in mind Abrams is just 25 years old and is under team control through the 2028 season. So he is both young and cheap, relatively speaking. What's not to love about that?

Potential trade bait

Of course, to get something you have to give up something. If Cashman is willing to trade anyone but top prospect George Lombard Jr., he would be better off betting the farm on a player who will spend at least the next three years in the Bronx rather than a top-gun ace who will demand a nine-figure contract in the offseason with no guarantee he will sign on the dotted line.

According to MLB Pipeline, the Yankees have four top-100 prospects: Lombard (No. 18), right-hander Elmer Rodríguez (No. 60), shortstop Dax Kilby (No. 67) and right-hander Carlos Lagrange (No. 73). Assuming Cashman won't trade Lombard, the other top prospects should be on the table.

Certainly they won't need Kilby if the are trading for Abrams, so why not put together a deal built around him and one of the top pitching prospects? And before you complain about giving up on a top arm, consider this: Schlittler is the first home-grown Yankees starter since Andy Pettitte. Prospects aren't guarantees. Sometimes they hit, sometimes they miss. But there's no doubting Abrams and what he would bring to the lineup.

The Yankees have a 15.6% chance of winning the World Series, according to FanGraphs. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers (24.3%) have better odds. Would Skubal close the gap? Absolutely. But Abrams would do the same while also setting the Yankees up for years to come.