CJ Abrams could be a Yankees trade deadline fit but only in this unexpected way

The New York Yankees need offense in the worst way. With no Aaron Judge (and Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger), scoring runs consistently has become a slog. The problem is, finding worthwhile bats in a market full of buyers and short on sellers is a tall order.

One of the few game-changing bats that might be available is Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, but he's a poor fit for a multitude of reasons.

Abrams is going to be expensive. He's 25, has two more years of team control beyond this season, and he plays a premium position. That all means that whichever team acquires him will have to pony up big time.

But there are some problems. He's an abysmal defensive shortstop, ranking last among qualifiers in outs above average (-13) and second-to-last in fielding run value (-9). He's also made the second-most errors at short (16). Add in the fact that he's historically a poor second-half performer, and he's clearly not worth the cost.

With a little bit of vision, however, Abrams might not be as bad of a fit as it seems. A team just needs to get creative, and according to Jeff Passan, many are willing to do so. The ESPN super insider reported that many teams see Abrams not as a shortstop, but as a center fielder

CJ Abrams could fill Yankees' voids left by Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger while pushing out Trent Grisham

With an average sprint speed of 28.5 feet per second (ranking in the 83rd percentile), Abrams certainly has the speed to roam the outfield grass. He'd hardly be the first shortstop to transition to an outfield role, with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Oneil Cruz being notable examples of conversions. Cruz has been a poor defender while Tatis Jr. has two Platinum Gloves on his resume.

Having a player change positions midseason isn't ideal, but the Yankees pulled it off and made a World Series run with Jazz Chisholm Jr. going from second base to third base on the fly.

The question is: what about Abrams second-half swoons? The point is moot if he's going to struggle with the bat. Well, the two-time All-Star is changing that narrative this season. It's a small sample size, just 53 plate appearances, but he's tearing the cover off the ball, hitting .377/.431/.849 with seven dingers. The Yankees as a team have just 11 homers post-All-Star break entering action on July 31.

The Yankees could try Abrams in either left field or center and use his bat to fill in for the production they've lost with Judge and now Bellinger on the shelf. Then, once those two are back, he could push Trent Grisham to the bench given struggles ... or maybe Grisham is traded with Spencer Jones and Jasson Dominguez remaining in the fold.

Abrams is a bit of an awkward fit, given the potential for a position change as well as the fact that he's a lefty bat. But the Yankees need offense, and he's the best option to provide that. With enough creativity, the pieces fit, so it's something worth taking a look at.

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