Braves’ perfect trade offer for Nationals’ CJ Abrams

The injury news has piled up for the Atlanta Braves in the lineup and also on the mound. Therefore, a deal might be in the offing. And here is the Braves’ perfect trade offer for the Nationals’ CJ Abrams.

Once upon a time, not long ago, the Braves had Major League Baseball’s best record. However, with six losses in their last seven games, they saw their lead in the NL East shrink to 6.5 games over the Phillies heading into Thursday’s slate.

So let’s take a look at a trade that could help the Braves avoid a major tailspin and remain among the league’s best teams.

Why do the Braves need SS CJ Abrams?

It starts with Ronald Acuña Jr. heading to the injured list. And the recent news about him being out until after the All-Star break is a major blow. His speed and power will be sorely missed in this lineup.

The good news would be that Abrams is a solution. He would provide nearly the same speed and power threat that Acuña added to the mix.

Abrams is in the process of trying to prove he is one of baseball’s best players. He’s six homers and 11 RBIs away from career highs in those categories. And we’re not even out of June yet. Also, his batting average (.284) and slugging percentage (.369) are huge jumps above his previous three full-season efforts.

Because of the pitching injuries the Braves have endured, they need offense to stay afloat while they wait hopefully for reinforcements.

But there’s another reason why Abrams works for the Braves. If they add him soon, they protect themselves for the short term. However, the long-term effect could be amazing.

Imagine a mostly healthy pitching staff complemented by a lineup that includes Acuña, Matt Olson, and Ozzie Albies. There’s an easy logic construct that puts the Braves as the second-best team in baseball when they have all of their weapons, if they add Abrams.

And who knows, maybe the addition of Abrams could even help them find a way to get past the Dodgers?

However, Abrams isn’t flawless, according to ESPN. And he may not be clearly on the market.

“Evaluators simply don’t think he’s a good shortstop,” Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan wrote. “Defensive metrics firmly agree.”

What would the Braves’ perfect offer be for CJ Abrams?

Of course, it’s going to be expensive. Abrams is a star already, so the Braves would have to pony up two prime farm-system assets. They would also need to add a third player.

First up is infielder Tate Southisene. He’s No. 4 on the Braves prospect list, according to MLB.com.

“Tate is a more physical version of his brother with the Cubs, and while he’s still a sub-six-footer, he has the chance to have real impact from the right side of the plate with legitimate bat speed,” MLB.com wrote. “He can be very aggressive, and that hurt him during his brief debut, but he doesn’t get cheated in the box. He’ll have to tone that down as he gets going for real, but he’s shown excellent bat control and a feel for the barrel in the past to get to his power.”

There’s a chance he could provide significant power from the middle infield spots. Whether he lands at second base or shortstop isn’t critical in that regard. And there’s a bonus with Southisene.

“Southisene has surprised the Braves a bit with his speed, at times recording 70-grade run times,” MLB.com wrote. “He’ll settle in as a plus runner and his athleticism is a real asset on both sides of the ball. He has the actions and arm to stick at shortstop. And he saw time at second base during his summer debut, while some amateur scouts really liked him in center field.”

There’s little doubt that the Nationals would demand a pitcher, and the Braves need to avoid sending top prospect Cam Caminiti to them. Instead, the pivot should be left-handed Briggs McKenzie. He’s a few years away from the big leagues, but has a high ceiling, according to MLB.com.

“McKenzie is very much a ball of clay ready to be molded,” MLB.com wrote. “His feel for spin is unquestionable, with a hammer 75-78 mph curveball that is already a plus pitch. It will only get better as he adds strength and power. He showed glimpses of excellent velocity (90-95 mph) out of the gate last spring, but isn’t yet able to maintain it deep into his starts.

“There’s some fade and sink in his low-80s changeup, something he’ll have to commit to throwing more as a pro to allow it to develop.”

Improved control is the next step McKenzie needs to take. But some scouts see huge potential.

“There’s a great variance in what he can become,” MLB.com wrote. “But there are those who thought had he gone on to LSU, he might have emerged as the next Kade Anderson, who went No. 3 overall in the 2025 Draft.”

If the Nationals demand a third player, outfielder Patrick Clohisy might be the right piece. He has tremendous speed upside.

“Clohisy’s future in the big leagues is directly connected to his legs,” MLB.com wrote. “In 2025, regular season and AFL combined, he stole 101 bases in 120 attempts (84.2 percent success rate) in 152 games. Not only does he have great speed, he’s aggressive in using it, wreaking havoc at all times.”