Nationals star CJ Abrams could be the missing piece for the Red Sox playoff push
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Nationals star CJ Abrams could be the missing piece for the Red Sox playoff push originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox have continued their run of dominance today, beating the Baltimore Orioles to advance to 15 wins in a row, tying the franchise record. Now, they have a chance to break the record tonight in the final game of the series.
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Whether they win or lose, Boston has gone from a bottom team in the MLB, to a top-five AL team that’s firmly in the playoff race. With that in mind, being a buyer and acquiring a slugger at the trade deadline is a must.
The middle infield is one of their weaknesses, and if the Washington Nationals are sellers at the deadline, Boston could snag two-time All-Star CJ Abrams as a solution.
Abrams might be on the market
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According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, if the Nationals were to start losing more as they get closer to the deadline, Abrams would be the first guy they try to deal. This is due to the fact that Abrams only has two years of arbitration left before he is a free agent.
With that being the case, if Abrams and Washington can’t come to an agreement on an extension, his time with the Nats would already be finite. So, Boston would be a logical place to send him, as they have what Washington needs: pitching.
Abrams’ swing is built for Boston
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Even as a lefty, Abrams is made for Boston. He’s a pull hitter, but he puts some oomph behind his hits; most of his home runs this season were 400+ feet, 20 feet deeper than the average depth of Fenway’s deep right field.
Combine that with his slashing line of .279/.354/.538/.892 with 19 doubles, 24 home runs, and an MLB-leading 76 RBI in 98 games, it looks like Abrams is exactly what the Red Sox need.
What would Boston need to give up?
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As noted before, the Nats need pitching badly, as their offense is one of the best in the MLB, yet they are a .500 team. The Red Sox did also fleece Jake Bennett from them, so getting MLB-proven pitchers is a must.
Connelly Early and Kyson Witherspoon would probably be the top names Boston would offer from their pitchers, and maybe some other prospects to support it. Abrams could be the last piece Boston needs to go all the way this season, so hopefully they start up a chat with the Nats.
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