Prepare for another summer of Luis Robert Jr. trade rumors.
Chicago picked up the $20 million team option for the talented yet often-injured outfielder on Tuesday, according to ESPN.
Robert, 28, emerged as a popular trade target last summer for teams in need of a center fielder.
The White Sox held onto Robert this deadline, with the Mets and Phillies ultimately acquiring other center fielders, and he has another $20 million team option, with a $2 million buyout, for next year.
His upside is the 38-homer, 80-RBI, 20-steal season he posted in 2023 when he finished 12th in AL MVP voting and earned his first All-Star bid.
The downside is he’s topped 110 games played in just that season alone of his six in MLB, although he’s tallied 100 and 110 games in the last two years, respectively.
Oh, and he has posted a .660 OPS over his last 210 games spanning the 2023 and ’24 seasons.
The White Sox opted to hold onto him instead of turning him into prospects, forcing the Mets to pivot to Cedric Mullins, which backfired.
The Phillies acquired Harrison Bader in a move that worked well for them, although an injury he suffered factored large into the NLDS loss to the Dodgers.
The White Sox are not expected to contend this upcoming season, and perhaps the White Sox could find offers more to their liking this summer since Robert’s contract will be more manageable.
Teams may not have been willing to part with coveted prospects for a player who has posted a .657 and .661 OPS over the last two years, respectively.
Robert slashed .223/.297/.364 with 14 homers, 53 RBIs and 33 steals this past year.
For teams needing help in center, the top free agents include Cody Bellinger, who opted out of his Yankees deal, fellow Bronx Bomber Trent Grisham and Bader.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
