As has been the case for nearly all of the Aaron Judge era, the New York Yankees will watch the World Series from home. Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman are both slated to return for another season despite another ALDS exit, and Judge has already called on ownership to increase spending.

As appealing as the thought of Tarik Skubal in pinstripes sounds, the answer isn’t increasing what is expected to be another $300 million-plus payroll. Instead, a trade feels far more likely. We heard rumblings earlier this year about the Yankees being interested in Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, and the two-time All-Star definitely fits their lineup needs. 

Abrams, who turned 26 earlier this month, hit .261 with 33 home runs, 106 RBI, 34 stolen bases and an .834 OPS for the upstart Nationals. He’s a dynamic left-handed hitter who just became the third player in franchise history to record a 30-30 season, and his on-base percentage skyrocketed from .315 to .336. 

Assuming that the Yankees are indeed open to adding Abrams, they already know he won’t come cheap. But how much would they realistically need to give up for the 2019 No. 6 pick?

What would a New York Yankees-Washington Nationals trade involving CJ Abrams look like?

You likely have plenty of thoughts, and so do we. 

Let’s start with the obvious: If there were ever a time for Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner to be aggressive, it’s now. The Yankees haven’t won the World Series since 2009, and they’ve captured just a single pennant since then. We just watched the Brewers, with the 19th-ranked payroll in baseball, make the Fall Classic, and they’ll face either the Rays (No. 28 in payroll) or the Guardians (No. 30) later this month.

We’re long past the supposed “Baby Bombers” era. Judge is the last man standing, and he turns 35 next April. On the pitching side, Gerrit Cole just turned 36, and Carlos Rodón (34 in December) and Max Fried (33 in January) aren’t exactly spring chickens, either. Cashman and Boone know full well that relying too heavily on older veterans, even those as talented and productive as those four, is a path to disaster.

Abrams wouldn’t cure the age issue on his own, though he’d certainly help. Unless you’re still buying high on Austin Wells, the Yankees have only two reliable starting hitters under 30: Luis García Jr. and Ben Rice. (We saw plenty that we liked from George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones, but both are still inexperienced.)

Would the Washington Nationals be getting fleeced in our proposed CJ Abrams trade?

If we have to ask ourselves this, then the answer is probably yes. That said, all we heard after the Skubal trade was that the Tigers didn’t get enough, yet outfielder Zyhir Hope (No. 26 on MLB Pipeline) recorded six homers, 24 RBI and an .822 OPS in nearly 150 plate appearances at Double-A Erie after being sent to Detroit. 

Warren took major strides in his second full season, including lowering his walk rate from 9.1 percent to 8.0 percent. He also cut his ERA from 4.44 to 3.92 despite only pitching 6.1 fewer innings. The former Southeastern Louisiana standout would be a perfect No. 2 behind Cade Cavalli, and we encourage the Nationals to add a proven veteran starter in free agency.

Lagrange went 1-4 with a 4.48 ERA in 64.1 innings at Triple-A, and he missed part of the year with a shoulder injury. Although the Yankees may have intended to use him as a reliever, it remains unclear whether his long-term future will be in the rotation or bullpen. 

“He’s 6-foot-7 but doesn’t create notable extension in his upright delivery, and he has such a quick arm and long limbs that he doesn’t always keep them in sync,” his MLB Pipeline profile reads. “He has the stuff to pitch in the front of a rotation if he can continue to add polish.”

As for Domínguez, he desperately needs a fresh start, and Washington could give him an immediate path to playing time. The switch-hitting slugger has extensive experience in the corner outfield spots, and his arrival could potentially allow James Wood to become a full-time designated hitter. 

So, no, we don’t think the Nationals would be getting “fleeced.” In an ideal world, they’d be trading a two-time All-Star shortstop for a middle-of-the-rotation starter, an intriguing pitching prospect and a versatile outfielder who will play all of next season at 24 years old. That sounds good to us!

By the way: The Yankees will host the Nationals for a three-game series beginning next April 16, but who knows how the expected work stoppage will impact the 2027 schedule?