According to Bleacher Report’s way-too-early trade deadline predictions, the Los Angeles Dodgers will make a splash midsummer acquisition. And the target? Washington Nationals‘ All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams.
It sounds crazy. It actually makes perfect sense, according to BR’s Tim Kelly.
The Dodgers assembled baseball’s most loaded roster this offseason. Kyle Tucker signed. Every position buttoned up except one glaring weakness: middle infield.
The Nationals just traded ace MacKenzie Gore to Texas and hired a young president of baseball operations intent on rebuilding from scratch. Paul Toboni isn’t protecting assets. He’s liquidating them.
Abrams, 25 and locked through 2028, is listening.
MLB Prediction: Dodgers Blockbuster Trade Lands Another Superstar
Toboni publicly denies shopping Abrams. “We’d be dumb not to listen,” he told 106.7 The Fan. Translation: Teams are calling. Hard.
The Giants already pushed aggressive chips on the table, willing to include top prospect Josuar Gonzalez. The Red Sox, Mariners, Padres, Pirates, and Yankees have all been connected.
Abrams hasn’t shown the ability to put together a full season, which makes his investment a risky wager.
In 2025, he slashed .257/.315/.433 with 19 home runs, 60 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases. In 2024, nearly identical: .246/.314/.433 with 20 homers.
Career slash line: .249/.306/.411 with 59 home runs, 210 RBIs, and 116 stolen bases. That’s 10.3 WAR across 523 games.
The pattern is undeniable. Abrams dominates through the All-Star break, then vanishes in the second half. Right now, he’s teetering between a star and an above-average regular masquerading as an All-Star ceiling player.
However, if a franchise can fully unlock him to produce across 150+ games, his acquisition could be a bargain when the dust settles.
Why The Natonals Could Trade CJ Abrams
The Nationals lost 96, 91, and 91 games in three of the past four seasons. Toboni isn’t protecting Abrams for 2028. He’s dismantling everything.
At 25, Abrams will enter arbitration soon. Rizzo made him a villain with the casino demotion—rightly or wrongly, it damaged his narrative.
If Toboni extracts legitimate prospects from a desperate contender, it’s a no-brainer. The Dodgers have the farm system to make it happen.
Bleacher Report’s prediction isn’t crazy. It’s inevitable. The Dodgers aren’t buying a star. They’re buying a speculative bet with speed and upside—a plug-and-play regular-season stabilizer for a roster built to win now.
For Toboni’s rebuild, it’s the exact trade that accelerates everything.
MLB News: Predicted Dodgers Trade Would Help Mookie Betts
Mookie Betts is an amazing athlete, but he isn’t getting any younger. If Los Angeles can land Abrams or another strong shortstop, Betts can play second base, which requires much less strain than the pressure and athleticism required to play shortstop.
Betts looked more human than a superstar last season. He hit .258 with a .732 OPS, easily one of his least intimidating offensive lines in years. The volume was still there—150 games, 20 homers, 82 RBIs—but the efficiency wasn’t, especially for a 33-year-old asked to grind 148 games at shortstop.
He did find a late spark, batting close to .300 with noticeable pop over his final month, but the bigger takeaway is clear: if the Dodgers want to protect their investment, sliding Betts off short and into a less demanding spot feels like a matter of when, not if.
Dodgers Predicted to Land This MLB Star in Bold Trade Pitch