Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story has one year left on his six-year, $140 million contract, and in the five seasons he’s played so far in Boston, the 33-year-old has played more than 90 games only once. But a new trade pitch aimed at the Red Sox and published Thursday would line up a worthy replacement for Story even as he attempts to play out his final Red Sox season.
The trade pitch is not unrealistic because Boston has not committed to Story at shortstop for 2027, according to MLB.com‘s Ian Browne, and in the proposed deal the Red Sox are able to hold on to their shortstop of the future, No. 1 organizational prospect Franklin Arias.
The Washington Nationals’ two-time All-Star CJ Abrams, 26, would replace Story in the Boston Red Sox infield under the trade pitch from BoSox Injection writer Brian Burrows, but the deal would cost the Red Sox their No. 2 prospect.
Story hit .235/.271/.351 with five home runs in 64 games, missing May 15 through late August after sports hernia surgery. He has appeared in 384 of the club’s 810 games since 2022 — just 47 percent — according to The Boston Globe‘s Peter Abraham. He is owed $25 million in 2027, with a 2028 club option and a $5 million buyout, according to The Associated Press.
Craig Breslow, Boston’s chief baseball officer, spoke Monday at baseball’s general managers meetings.
“We still have a ton of confidence in Trevor,” Breslow said, as quoted by Browne. But he stopped short of naming Story the 2027 starter.
The proposed answer is Abrams, 26, whose free agency after 2028 arrives before the Washington Nationals expect to contend, according to BoSox Injection‘s Burrows. Boston is among the interested teams, according to The Athletic‘s Jim Bowden.
Burrows’ trade pitch would send outfielder Justin Gonzales, right-hander Sadbiel Delzine and infielder Andruw Monasterio to Washington.
CJ Abrams Trade Fit for the Boston Red Sox
Abrams was the No. 6 overall pick in 2019, taken by the San Diego Padres, and moved to Washington in the 2022 Juan Soto trade. He hit .261/.336/.497 with 33 home runs, 106 RBI and 34 steals in 2026.
Abrams’ main drawback is his defense. No fielder anywhere on the diamond had a worse Outs Above Average than Abrams’ minus 17 at shortstop, according to FanGraphs‘ Ryan Blake. But Abrams could also move to second base once Arias takes over short.
In fact, Washington announced Aug. 14 that the two-time All-Star would move to second base, according to MLB.com‘s Jessica Camerato.
“I believe I can be a great shortstop,” Abrams said, as quoted by Camerato. He still sees himself at short.
So what happens to Story? Offensively, the swap is an upgrade. Abrams’ .336 on-base and .497 slugging marks exceed Story’s .271 and .351.
Boston Red Sox Price for CJ Abrams
Gonzales, a 19-year-old Dominican outfielder, ranked second in Boston’s system and 79th on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 in August, according to MLB.com‘s Brendan Samson. He hit .266/.385/.449 with 19 home runs in 107 games.
Delzine, an 18-year-old Venezuelan right-hander, posted a 2.64 ERA in 18 games between rookie ball and Low-A Salem. SoxProspects.com ranks him sixth in Boston’s system and second among its pitchers. MLB Pipeline has Delzine seventh in the Boston system, but still the No. 2 pitching prospect, behind only Juan Valera.
Monasterio, a 29-year-old Venezuelan utility man, came to Boston from Milwaukee in a February trade. He hit .233 with six home runs and 43 RBI in 2026, according to FantasyTeamAdvice season data. Burrows has Monasterio filling in until Washington prospects Eli Willits or Seaver King arrive.
In the short term, the money favors Boston. Abrams earned $4.2 million in 2026, according to Spotrac contract data, against Story’s $25 million. In the long term, the timeline favors Washington. Gonzales carries a 2028 arrival estimate, according to FanGraphs, the year Abrams’ control ends.
The cost lands on a farm that already sent Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon, two top-five prospects, to Baltimore for Adley Rutschman, NBC Sports Boston reported. Washington wanted “either major-league-ready players back or prospects in the upper levels,” Bowden wrote in The Athletic earlier this year. Two of the three pieces fit. Gonzales has reached Double-A and Monasterio is in the majors. Delzine has pitched no higher than Low-A.
Red Sox Trade Pitch Lands 26-Year-Old 2-Time All-Star to Replace Trevor Story