With many teams surpassing or at least creeping up on the halfway point of their seasons, it’s time to check in on some MLBbros who are vying for All-Star nods.
Being invited to the Midsummer Classic is something every MLB player dreams of doing at least once in their career, and this year, Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams is looking to score his second selection, as 2026 has been his best season yet.
CJ Abrams Has Risen To Elite Shortstop
The difference from this year and Abrams’ three previous full seasons in the Show is the wall he has hit offensively around this time of year. When he made his first All-Star team as a reserve in 2024, Abrams’ numbers tapered off substantially in the second half, as he posted a 49 OPS+ after the break. In 2026, however, he has made some improvements in his profile that have not only elevated his production but also bred the belief that he can sustain this level of play for the rest of the season.
Entering play Monday, the 25-year-old is slashing .275/.358/.507, which would mark considerable career bests across the board. His 138 wRC+ and 57 runs driven in rank first among all players at his position, while his 17 homers are the most among NL shortstops. Also continuing to be a danger on the basepaths, Abrams has 13 stolen bases after swiping at least 30 in each of the last three years.
Approach-wise, Abrams has been more selective, allowing him to boost his walk rate to league average and keep his strikeout numbers around league norms as well. He’s also swinging his bat slightly harder, leading to improved hard-hit and barrel rates, directly correlated with more frequent extra-base hits.
Drafted sixth overall in the 2019 MLB Draft by San Diego, Abrams appears to be tapping into his sky-high potential, which is why he and teammate James Wood were the centerpieces in the Juan Soto trade back in 2022.
In Phase 1 of the voting, Abrams and fellow MLBbro Mookie Betts advanced to the second round as finalists for the starting shortstop slot, with Abrams finishing a little less than 100,000 votes ahead of Betts. But even with the latter being an MVP, four-time World Series Champion, and a future Hall of Famer, Abrams should be the no-doubt choice for voters when the ballot reopens.
Plagued by injury in his age-33 season, Betts initally got off to a slow start in 2026, but has been hot in the month of June. With that in mind, the massive LA market and plenty of baseball fans could overlook what Abrams is doing in the nation’s capital.
Although he’s still got work to do defensively, the best hitter at a position shouldn’t be denied this honor. Plus, Abrams is helping keep Washington afloat, currently holding a 43-42 record and sitting just two games out of the final NL Wild Card Spot in a supposed rebuilding year for the franchise as a new regime settles in. Wood won’t get a chance to represent the Nationals in the starting lineup in Philadelphia in a few weeks, but Abrams could and should, based on his play to this point.
