With CJ Abrams hot start, it is time to consider an extension, but only at the right price
The topic of extending players, especially position players is something Nationals fans are hyper aware about. Over the years, the Nats have failed to extend a lot of their homegrown stars. Players such as Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, and Anthony Rendon have all walked, or been traded before they would have walked in free agency.
One thing all three of those players have in common is that they are represented by super agent Scott Boras, who advices his clients to go to the open market. Some of the Nationals young stars, including James Wood and Dylan Crews are also represented by him. However, one Nat who is not represented by Boras is CJ Abrams. He is a Roc Nation client.
Abrams is in his last pre-arbitration season. With his performance this year, he should get a decent raise when he hits arbitration. Abrams hits free agency after the 2028 season. He would be a young free agent, going into his age 28 season when if hits the open market without an extension.
Abrams has shown a lot of potential in his time in the big leagues, especially with the bat. However, he has not put it all together, until this season. In 98 at bats, Abrams has been fantastic, hitting .286 with an .855 OPS. His at bat quality has also looked a lot better. While he is still an aggressive hitter, he has found a balance where he is chasing less. His chase rate is down over 3% this season.
However, an extension would not be totally straightforward. There are some complicated factors to consider. For one thing, Abrams maturity came into question last year with his gambling incident in Chicago. He looks to have responded well from that, and by all accounts, he is a hard worker. However, it is something to keep in mind, especially when considering a contract that could be in excess of $100 million.
That is not the only thing that could complicate matters. The asking price could be something that I could see being an issue. If you look at things from Abrams side, he is a power/speed threat with a good bat and plays a high value position in shortstop.
However, the Nationals could counter by saying Abrams is an inconsistent hitter who has not put it all together yet and is not a good defensive shortstop. Honestly, there is truth to both sides of the story which makes this such an interesting negotiation.
One thing is for certain, the Nationals should at the very least be having conversations with Abrams and his representation. However, I don’t think the Nationals should feel desperate to get something done. If the two sides can find a deal, that would be great. However, it would not be the end of the world to let this thing play out a bit longer.
Yes, the price could go up, but Abrams has been a volatile player in his career. It is possible that this is just another hot streak for the shortstop. However, I am a believer in Abrams bat. He has gotten slightly better every year and feels like he is always bringing something new to the table.
One thing that interests me about Abrams is his batted ball profile. He has really leaned into pulling the ball in the air lately, and it is working for him. Abrams is hitting pulled fly balls over 25% of the time, one of the higher marks in the league. Last year, it seemed like he was doing that to sell out for power. However, this year he is yanking a lot of line drives to right for singles and doubles. This year, his hitting seems more in control and sustainable.
I also think Abrams has been better on the bases too. He has gone 8/10 on steals and has had a couple memorable mad dashes to the plate this year. The glove still is not great, but it looks a bit better. He is never going to be a gold glover at short, and might have to move off the position one day. However, the defense has been mostly passable this year.
With all that in mind, CJ Abrams is a very interesting extension candidate. Honestly, his game reminds me a lot of a left handed Ian Desmond. Maybe if the Nats wait a couple more years and Abrams establishes himself a bit more, they could offer him that contract Desmond unwisely rejected all those years ago.
It is an interesting conversation that all comes down to the number. This is very unscientific, but something in the 8 year, $100 million seems fair enough for both sides. We will see if any progress is made on this, but it is something the Nationals need to consider at the very least. After that, they need to try their best to convince the hometown kid James Wood to sign on the dotted line.
Abrams has been at his best in 2025, and seems motivated to redeem himself and get back to his All-Star best. While the Nationals shouldn’t rush into an extension, they need to be laying the groundwork and be in constant communication with Abrams.