With the trade deadline less than a week away, one of the biggest questions surrounding the White Sox is whether Luis Robert Jr. will remain with the team.
He is on several teams’ radar, with ESPN’s Buster Olney reporting that the Padres, Phillies, and Mets are all interested in acquiring Robert. A pair of division rivals vying for Robert’s services could prove beneficial for the White Sox. Robert has helped his trade value with six home runs, 19 RBIs, and a .853 OPS in his last 28 games. He has also provided Gold Glove caliber defense in center field and ranks fifth in the American League with 26 stolen bases.
But given Robert’s struggles at the plate in each of the past two seasons and his history of being injury-prone, there are questions over how much the White Sox can realistically get in return.
Both Onley and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic have stated that the White Sox will hang onto Robert, who has a $20 million team option for next season, if they don’t get a trade return that is equivalent to what they feel Robert’s potential is. This includes landing at least one top 10 prospect from any potential trade partner in return.
There is a strong case for the White Sox to hang onto Robert. White Sox general manager Chris Getz has plenty of payroll flexibility for next season. Worst-case scenario, the White Sox pick up his option and have a good defensive centerfielder to hold down the fort until Braden Montgomery, or another one of the White Sox prospects, is ready to be called up. They could also try to trade Robert during the offseason if he continues to drive his value up during the second half of the year.
But as Rosenthal points out, Robert has only appeared in more than 100 games once in his first four seasons in the big leagues. He added that the Padres, Phillies, and Mets believe the White Sox are bluffing. If the White Sox pick up his option, there is always the risk that he misses significant time once again. If the White Sox trade him for a mid-tier prospect, they could wind up shortchanged. However, if they keep him and then decline his option, they lose him for nothing.
It’s an unenviable position for Getz. Getz has proven in the past that he is willing to hold out until his asking price for a player is met. He dragged Dylan Cease trade talks through the 2024 offseason before finally reaching a deal with the Padres during Spring Training. He also held onto Garrett Corchet during the 2024 trade deadline until he got a four-prospect haul from the Red Sox in the offseason.
Is it really worth gambling on a team’s mid-tier prospect in exchange for Luis Robert Jr., a player with an All-Star appearance, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger already on his résumé?
These are the questions that Getz will have to answer in the coming days.
