Yankees predicted to trade for 3.4 WAR All-Star shortstop to replace Anthony Volpe

The New York Yankees are one of the top teams in the Major Leagues, and with a strong lineup led by Aaron Judge, they will be World Series contenders this year.

But there is one major hole on the roster, and it's at shortstop. Anthony Volpe is banged up, and the Yankees' replacement, Jose Cabellero, isn't the best option.

With such a shaky shortstop room, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller predicts that the Yankees will go out and trade for a 3.4 WAR shortstop from the Washington Nationals in CJ Abrams as Volpe's replacement.

Yankees predicted to trade for Nationals' CJ Abrams

"(Abrams) Ends up with: New York Yankees," Miller writes, "Short of knowing what injury news will look like in early August, though, the Yankees may make the most sense here."

Abrams is 25 years old and has been a very consistently solid player for the last three seasons for the Nationals.

In 2023, Abrams had 3.5 bWAR, followed by 3.4 bWAR in each of the next two seasons in 2024 and 2025.

He's entering his fifth year this season and is under club control through the 2028 season. If the Yankees want to land a long-term replacement for Volpe at shortstop, Abrams would be the trade option.

More: Yankees' Jazz Chisholm reveals his 9-figure contract asking price

Since Volpe is dealing with a shoulder issue and might not be bad for some time, the Yankees trading for Abrams would make a lot of sense.

In a very tough AL East, the Yankees need all of the help they can get. Coming off a solid year for the Nationals, where he had 249 hits, 35 doubles, five triples, 29 home runs, 60 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases with a .748 OPS, Abrams could be traded mid-season.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a free agent after 2026, and if he leaves, the Yankees could use Abrams or Volpe as the second base replacement.

This trade wouldn't just be a rental for one year, but a multi-year commitment to one of the better middle infielders in the league. It's an interesting prediction from Miller, and one that the Yankees will surely be linked to whenever Abrams trade rumors pop up.

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