CJ Abrams with the Yankees: Jon Morosi opens the door

Yesterday, the Nationals traded MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers. It was a big deal for the club, which sent one of the pieces of the Juan Soto trade back to other climes.

Given that he's approaching free agency and that the Nationals aren't going to pay him, we understand why the decision was made.

That said, we also know that other pieces of this deal could be on the move. CJ Abrams, for example, is a guy who could change addresses.

And Jon Morosi, who talked about all this on MLB Network, mentioned Abrams as a possible target for the Yankees.

This would be in light of Anthony Volpe having another rough season in 2026.

“[CJ] Abrams is the name for me that will likely at some point in time move on… If [Anthony] Volpe struggles… maybe the Yankees take a look at someone like an Abrams down towards the trade deadline.”@jonmorosi | #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/8WKgeUxAu7

– MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 23, 2026

Morosi seems to suggest that this will be more likely at the trade deadline than this winter. And in fact, it would make sense: the Yankees will probably want to give Volpe another chance in 2026.

They'll be banking on the fact that he'll have recovered from the shoulder injury he sustained in 2025.

That said, for a club that needs to maximize the remaining years of its current core, the Yankees can't afford to be patient. In the event that Volpe pulls out more, they'll eventually have to find solutions to replace him.

And Abrams, who is a good hitter (but not incredible defensively), could bring a different profile to the Bronx.

It should be noted, however, that the Yankees probably won't be alone in this race: the San Francisco Giants were aggressive in the race for Abrams' services, but were unable to reach an agreement.

Will this be revisited eventually? Possibly.

The Giants aggressively pursued shortstop CJ Abrams but were unable to agree on a fair return with the Nationals, according to major-league sources. pic.twitter.com/t7lXDSjlvs

– The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) January 23, 2026

We know that the Yankees, as things stand, are already banking on a good number of left-handed hitters, so Abrams would be a tad redundant in that regard. But in a world where Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham will be free as a bird next winter, there are lefties who could leave sooner rather than later.

Will Abrams join the group by then? The answer in the coming months.

This content was created with the help of AI.