The San Francisco Giants made a strong push to acquire 25-year-old shortstop CJ Abrams from the Washington Nationals, per The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly. He would move to second base, bumping Casey Schmitt to the bench. Those efforts were unsuccessful, however, as the Nats required too rich a return for the Giants' liking.
Abrams hit 19 home runs and stole 31 bases last season, posting a .748 OPS and 111 OPS+. The 6-foot lefty was also an All-Star in 2024. Given all the potential on display and Abrams' favorable contract situation — three years of arbitration left — Washington understandably held firm on its lofty asking price. Here's what you need to know.
What the Giants offered and why the Nats said no
Per Baggarly's report, the Nats and Giants discussed five prospects: shortstop Josuar Gonzalez (SF's No. 2 prospect), left-handers Carson Whisenhunt (No. 7 prospect) and Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11 prospect), shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 4 prospect) and outfielder Bo Davidson (No. 5 prospect).
With the exception of Whisenhunt, who made a brief MLB cameo last season, none of those prospects are higher than Double-A on the Giants' org chart. That feels notable. The Nationals are in no hurry to contend, as evidenced by their willingness to jump the gun and trade young cornerstones (see: Gore, MacKenzie), but there is still the potential for apprehension when the fruits of an Abrams trade won't blossom for three or four years.
To their credit, though, this is an ambitious effort from the Giants. All of these players are touted — especially Gonzalez, as the 18-year-old is ranked 82nd in MLB Pipeline's top 100. Level and Davidson both provide significant speed and defensive upside at 18 and 23 years old, respectively. A nice anecdote, perhaps, to Abrams' shortcomings glove-wise. Bresnahan, 20, needs to build on his repertoire, but he's a 6-foot-4 lefty with tons of extension. Whisenhunt has struggled of late, but his changeup is a grade-A pitch and the source of much long-term intrigue.
It's unclear if all five prospects were on the table together, but even if these negotiations boiled down to Gonzalez and a couple other top-10 dudes from the Giants system, that's a healthy return. It's fair to wonder if the Nats may come to regret turning it down.
In the end, it depends on whether or not Washington can find a better offer elsewhere. Clearly, new GM Paul Tuboni and the front office believe they can. Meanwhile, here's where the Giants can still turn for an infield upgrade.
Potential 2B upgrades still available to Giants
Nolan Gorman or Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals continue to tear it down, leaving both Brendan Donovan and Nolan Gorman available to the highest bidder.
Donovan, an All-Star in 2025, would be the preferable target. Though not a huge power source, Donovan is a smart hitter who finished last season with a .775 OPS and 119 OPS+. He's going to work deep into counts and find ways to produce, made all the more valuable by his ability to slide around the diamond on defense.
Gorman, 25, is four years younger than Donovan and comes with an extra year of club control through 2028. The tall lefty hit 27 home runs and posted an impressive .805 OPS back in 2023, his second MLB campaign. His production has since plummeted, however. Gorman's 33.8 percent strikeout rate last season is alarming, but there's still enough youth and raw power for the Giants to potentially take an interest. He would require far less investment from San Francisco prospect-wise, but stacking Rafael Devers and Gorman on the right side of the infield is a questionable strategy.
There's a chance Gorman and Schmitt might end up in a backwards platoon should that come to fruition (Gorman hits lefties better, Schmitt hits righties better).
Anthony Volpe, New York Yankees
It feels like Jazz Chisholm is safe on the New York Yankees, at least to begin the season. Anthony Volpe, however, put himself in the danger zone for potential trade talks with a disastrous 2025 campaign. He's hurt right now, undergoing surgery and rehab for a labrum tear. This is admittedly improbable, as the Yankees still project confidence in Volpe long term, but now is the time to buy low.
Volpe, 24, struggled immensely at the plate last season with a .663 OPS and 83 OPS+. He can still pop a fair amount of home runs — we all remember the great torpedo bat controversy, don't we? — and Volpe's speed is a weapon. But until his strikeouts subside and his instincts improve, the offense will be a point of weakness.
Last season also saw Volpe tie for the most errors in the American League as his defensive value plummeted. That felt uncharacteristic, as Volpe was a Gold Glove winner in his rookie season. But his confidence was clearly wounded at a certain point, and while he finished the season better than he started it, there are newfound concerns about Volpe's future in New York.
If the Yankees line up another infield addition, which feels possible, Volpe becomes especially vulnerable to a trade. It would require some patience and a bold vision on San Francisco's part, but it could be worth seeing if Volpe can rediscover himself at second base.
Nico Hoerner or Matt Shaw, Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs immediately began fielding Nico Hoerner trade offers after the Alex Bregman deal went through. At 28 and in the final year of his contract, Hoerner fits into a classic trade archetype — the high-value rental. He probably does not stick around San Francisco after next season, but he'd round out the best defensive infield in MLB, giving the Giants another perennial Gold Glove candidate next to Matt Chapman and Willy Adames. He'd also hit around .300 with a bunch of stolen bases, making up for his notable lack of power.
That said, the Cubs signed Bregman with the intention of competing for a World Series in 2026. Trading Hoerner for a few prospects does not really facilitate that outcome. Unless Chicago in blown away — and it's unclear if the Giants are interested in offloading multiple top-10 prospects for a rental — Hoerner probably stays with the Cubs.
Enter Matt Shaw, the Cubs' former top prospect who now finds himself without a spot in the starting lineup after a bumpy first season. Shaw was ultimately fairly productive as a rookie, tallying 13 home runs and 17 stolen bases in just 437 plate appearances. His .690 OPS and 98 OPS+ are perfectly respectable for a 23-year-old making his bones in MLB.
Still, the Bregman trade clogs up a very talented infield, and Shaw could net a hearty return on the trade front. He's a positive defender and should look even better at second base, compared to his primary home of third base in Chicago. The Giants can obtain Shaw with six years of cheap club control remaining and a ton of untapped potential. He's not the most immediate upgrade perhaps, but long term, Shaw could be the best option available to San Francisco right now.
Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
We can mention the pipe dream option, just in case. It has become increasingly clear that the Arizona Diamondbacks will move forward with Ketel Marte as their franchise second baseman. The 32-year-old is a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger. He knocked 28 home runs in only 126 games last season, posting an .893 OPS and 145 OPS+. Second base is traditionally a weaker offensive position; Marte is one of the most refined and explosive hitters in the sport.
He's also under contract through 2030 at an extremely affordable rate, relative to most superstars in today's game. There's only so much left in the tank, but Marte's under-the-hood metrics show he's still pushing strong into his mid-30s, and his contract never rises above $22 million AAV. That mitigates a lot of the risk.
Marte is the rare five-tool superstar. There are precious few holes in his repertoire. The D'Backs are only considering a trade due to reported front office beef, as Marte's effort and engagement have come into question. But when he's on the field, he's impacting winning in just about every way. If the Giants can force Arizona's hand — and it will require an even greater return than CJ Abrams — Marte would complete the most fearsome infield group in MLB.