PHILADELPHIA — Every game matters in a 162-game season, but maybe taking advantage of a weak Nationals bullpen and sweeping a three-game series in Washington right before the All-Star break will help the Yankees in more ways than simply improving their record.
If the Nationals — who entered the hiatus having dropped six of eight, falling to 48-49 and four games back of the last National League wild card spot in a very jumbled race behind the playoff-position Marlins — decide to sell at the deadline, would they make their 25-year-old All-Star shortstop available for a massive return?
CJ Abrams hopes not.
“We’re doing our thing out there,” Abrams said this week when asked if he feels the team has done enough to convince its front office to not sell on Aug. 3. “We’re winning. We’re winning ball games.
