The Chicago White Sox have signaled that centerfielder Luis Robert Jr. will be the everyday starter in 2026.
His $20 million option was even picked up by the team this offseason. That has not stopped teams from calling General Manager Chris Getz.
Francys Romero of Beisbol FR reported that the New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates have all expressed interest in trading for the talented outfielder.
Robert, entering his seventh major league season with the White Sox, has shown flashes of brilliance and stretches of inconsistency.
What Are Teams Getting In Robert?
In 2023, Robert was an all-star, hitting 38 home runs with an .857 OPS. Outside of that season, he has struggled to stay on the field, playing no more than 110 games in a season.
During the 2025 season, Robert played 110 games, hitting just 14 home runs with a .661 OPS. However, he did flash his speed on the bases, stealing a career-high 33 bags.
Robert’s first-half and second-half splits were opposites in 2025. In the first half of the season, he hit .190 with a .599 OPS. However, he came alive in the second half, batting .298 with an .808 OPS.
Robert, while having a somewhat inconsistent bat, has always played near-elite defense in the outfield, winning a gold glove in his rookie season. In 2025, he had 7 Outs Above Average, good for the 93rd percentile among MLB players per Baseball Savant.
The Cuban product can mash the ball when healthy, but his lack of plate discipline has always been an issue in Chicago. His strikeout and whiff percentages are always well under league average.
With very little depth in this year’s free agent center field class, it may be worth it for Getz to at least listen to trade offers for Robert.
Are The Mets, Padres or Pirates Fits?
With New York currently trotting out Tyrone Taylor in center, this might be the best fit of the three teams.
Owner Steve Cohen can certainly afford Robert’s hefty option, and the need is obvious for the team with Taylor having a .598 OPS in 2025. The team also has the minor league depth to make a deal like this happen.
With no other in-house options in centerfield, the team should be aggressively pursuing outfield help.
The Padres are a more curious fit for Robert.
With Jackson Merrill already penciled in as the everyday center fielder and with Fernando Tatis Jr. already entrenched in right field, it makes little sense as to why San Diego has expressed interest in Robert. Merrill signed an extension in April that will guarantee him $135 million through 2034.
In addition, the Padres don’t exactly have a treasure trove of prospects after some blockbuster deals at last year’s trade deadline.
While Pittsburgh is showing more of a willingness to sign star players this offseason with their reported offers to Josh Naylor and Kyle Schwarber, it remains unlikely that a deal will get done. With young player Oneil Cruz under contract for significantly less, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to acquire Robert.
Although the aforementioned teams might be doing more than just due diligence, the likeliest outcome could very well be that Robert stays put in Chicago through the offseason.
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