With the August 3 trade deadline just days away, the Yankees have a real path to the best shortstop on the market. Analyst Jim Bowden revealed on his GM Territory podcast that a package centered on Anthony Volpe and top prospect George Lombard Jr. would open the door to acquiring CJ Abrams from the Washington Nationals — a player who in 100 games this season is hitting .288 with 24 home runs, a .905 OPS and an OPS+ of 148, leading all MLB shortstops in both slugging (.544) and OPS.
Why the Yankees Want Abrams Right Now
The Yankees lost Aaron Judge nearly two months ago and the lineup has never fully recovered. In that vacuum, Volpe — once considered the franchise shortstop of the future — is hitting .242 with 1 home run and 15 RBI in 49 games. The numbers tell the story: the most important infield spot in New York is struggling, and the clock is ticking.
Abrams, 25, is the mirror image of that. With Washington out of the race, the left-handed hitter is having the best season of his career: 3.9 WAR, 76 RBI, and a contract running through 2028. Three years of cost-controlled production is exactly why multiple teams have been calling the Nationals — though Washington isn’t actively shopping him. They’re just listening.
Bowden was direct in his assessment: without George Lombard Jr. in the conversation, there is no trade. With him, there’s a deal to be made. That distinction matters because Lombard, 21, is the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect and ranked 35th overall by MLB Pipeline. He was selected 26th overall in the 2023 Draft, and his MLB debut is expected within the next two weeks.
What the Yankees Would Actually Have to Give Up
A package built around Volpe and Lombard Jr. means surrendering both the present and the future of the shortstop position at the same time. Volpe is 25 with a controlled contract, but his trade value has slipped along with his numbers. Lombard is the asset that actually moves the needle — if he debuts soon and delivers, the Yankees lose leverage; if they trade him before he gets that chance, they may regret it for years.
ESPN listed Abrams as the fifth most likely player to be traded before the deadline, but assigned him only a 15% real probability of actually being moved. Part of that skepticism comes from his defensive metrics: Abrams has posted negative defensive numbers throughout his career, and the Yankees don’t have an obvious alternative position to slide him into. The most realistic scenario if the trade happens is Abrams playing shortstop in New York with the same glove concerns his current team already knows well. The bet would be that his 24 home runs and .905 OPS are worth the defensive cost.
What Happens If the Yankees Stand Pat
Lombard Jr. gets called up — likely within the next two weeks — and the Yankees bet that the prospect who dominated the MLB Futures Game can solve the problem from within. That path preserves the prospect capital, but it means counting on a 21-year-old with zero MLB experience to help carry a postseason push.
Meanwhile, Volpe would continue playing under the pressure of a replacement already knocking on the door. And if no deal gets done before the deadline, Washington will resurface in the winter — by which point Lombard will have debuted and his price will only be higher.
The clock runs out Monday, August 3 at 6 p.m. ET. The Yankees have a matter of days to decide whether CJ Abrams is worth more than the future they have waiting in the minors.
