Should CJ Abrams Be Sold in Fantasy Baseball? Analyzing His League-Winning Season

CJ Abrams is on a tear in 2026 fantasy baseball, being a finalist for the NL All-Star starting job at shortstop.

Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (5) throws to first for an out in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Sunday, March 31, 2024, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Washington Nationals are reaping the rewards of CJ Abrams. He is having a tear of a season, being a current finalist for the NL starting job at shortstop. Abrams is batting .273 with a .866 OPS. He has 18 home runs, which is one short of what he had in all of 2025. Abrams has also stolen 13 bases, scored 52 runs, and batted in 60 runs.

Abrams currently ranks 21st in offensive rating, per Fangraphs. In fantasy baseball, he is the SS2. The only player he trails is Otto Lopez of the Miami Marlins. Abrams is playing better than Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, Ernie Clement, and Trea Turner.

The question to now ask: Is Abrams too good right now?

Fantasy Baseball Sell or Hold: CJ Abrams

Let's analyze Abrams expectation versus reality.

In 2025, Abrams batted .257 with a .748 OPS. He stole 21 bases with 19 home runs.

In 2024, Abrams batted .246 with a .747 OPS, 31 stolen bases, and 20 home runs.

In 2026, Abrams plays to career-best numbers, much to the thanks of a hitting rebirth among the entire Nationals team. They brought in an analytically driven staff, led by Blake Butera, formerly of the Tampa Bay Rays. The team is top-5 in offense as it is. They are 45-43 in the record, reside 2.0 games outside of the Wild Card, and as of July 3.

Abrams' rise is not all that drastic. It is to be expected. Can it remain? Probably, barring a trade, which is mildly rumored.

Will Abrams Be Traded, and What It Means?

Upon the start of the 2026 MLB season, Abrams was certainly floated as a trade commodity. If the Nationals struggled, they might have dealt Abrams away for more prospects. The goal of their rebuild was meant to be: build through the farm system. The Nationals do not have the payroll of the Dodgers, Mets, or Yankees.

Abrams is under team control through 2028. In 2026, he is making $4.2 million. Given Abrams' output, he will be looking for an extension, which he deserves. That is a big driving force for a potential trade.

While a deal seems more and more unlikely amid the Nationals' playoff race, the conversation is not yet dead. The top landing spot? The New York Yankees.

If Abrams became a Yankee, he would obviously start at shortstop, ahead of Anthony Volpe. While the Nationals rank 5th in offensive rating, the Yankees rank 4th.

In New York, it is not too likely that Abrams falls in fantasy baseball. In fact, he could rise even further as the Yankees are more likely to maintain a strong offense than the Nationals, who perform above expectations.

His other top rumored landing spots feature the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals. Let's not invest too much time in this unlikely conversation. Instead, we give a simple verdict: Abrams is worse on either of these teams.

The Giants rank 17th in offense rating, and the Cardinals rank 14th. That is the driving factor of a player's success, especially Abrams, who gets on base often.

The ultimate conclusion here is that Abrams is unlikely to be traded. Abrams is also very likely to maintain his elite baseball. While he is reasonably discussed as a sell-high candidate, you should not do that. Hold onto Abrams.