After a disappointing end to the 2025 season, there is certain to be some change to the New York Yankees lineup. One suggested change could bring in a guy who has been on their radar screen for a while.
The Yankees are expected to take a serious look at Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. this offseason. And while no formal contact has yet been made, early indications suggest the Bronx front office sees plenty of upside in the 28-year-old’s profile.
On the “Fireside Yankees” podcast, Ryan Garcia said that people familiar with the situation cite Robert as a player the Yankees “believe can make an impact positively on their roster,” and he expects New York to at least “make a phone call to the White Sox” in the coming weeks to explore what a deal might look like.
Robert’s name has lingered on trade boards for more than a year now, and the timing may finally align for a move. The White Sox are mired in a rebuild that’s dragged out longer than anyone in Chicago cares to admit, and Robert – talented, athletic, and frequently injured – has become both a valuable trade chip and a frustrating reminder of what could have been.
In 2025, he hit .223 with a .297 on-base percentage and .661 OPS over 110 games, adding 14 home runs and 33 stolen bases. At face value, that’s not the kind of line that screams “Yankees target.” But a closer look reveals why New York might see more.
Closer Look Reveals Potential Offensive Upside for Luis Robert Jr.
Robert’s expected OPS checked in around .761 – roughly 100 points higher than his actual number – suggesting a hefty dose of bad luck weighed down his season. Finishing in the .760-.770 range would have put Robert in the top 70 of the league among several productive hitters on contending teams such as Pete Crow-Armstrong, Randy Arozarena and Alejandro Kirk.
“These are guys who are firmly above average offensively,” Garcia stressed.
Defensively, Robert remains elite. His seven fielding runs saved and seven outs above average in center field last season reaffirm his value as one of the game’s best at the position. For a team like the Yankees, whose outfield defense has been inconsistent in recent years, Robert’s glove alone would make him a stabilizing addition.
“He’s an excellent, excellent center fielder,” Garcia stressed. “He’s got great instincts. He moves very well. His arm has usually lagged behind his range throughout his career, but the range is elite, and I think that’s the most important tool when we talk about a center fielder.”
There’s also evidence that Robert’s approach at the plate quietly improved. His walk rate rose to 9.3%, the best of his career, while his chase rate dropped to a personal low. He made more contact, swung and missed less often, and posted a walk-to-strikeout ratio nearly identical to the league average. In short: the process looked better, even if the results didn’t.
“I believe that there were strides made in his game, and I think the Yankees see those things as well,” Garcia said.
And don’t forget Robert’s top-tier status on the basepaths, with 33 stolen bases in his 110 games.
“He’s an excellent base runner. He has been throughout his career,” Garcia said. “So, I still believe that Luis Robert has it in there to be a good big league hitter.”
Change of Scenery Could Bring Luis Robert Jr. Back to Superstar Level
The red flag, as always, is health. Robert has yet to play more than 145 games in a season, missing significant time in four of the last five years. He’s had just one fully healthy campaign since his 2020 debut, and even then, that year was shortened by the pandemic.
Still, Garcia suggested the Yankees’ interest isn’t tied to acquiring a perfect player – just one with a path back to being a difference-maker. And one for whom a change of scenery might be exactly what’s needed.
Jones has spent the last two years mired in a losing environment on the South Side, playing for an organization that has fallen into dysfunction. A move to the Bronx, and a clubhouse built around winning, could help unlock the player many scouts once projected as a perennial All-Star.
“This is a guy who’s played for a miserably bad White Sox organization for two years now, who’s had nothing to play for for two years,” Garcia said.
“I don’t think it’s crazy to suggest that putting him in an environment where these games matter, where there’s something to play for, where there’s an attainable goal, where there’s not this, you know, just toxic, toxic infrastructure around you, this toxic environment. I think if you pull him away from that and you put him in an organization like the Yankees where winning and being a winner, there’s something to play for. There’s something to play for. There is something to play for any given day, you’re going to go to the postseason. I say this all to say Luis Robert Jr. is someone who I believe can be an excellent, excellent impact player.”
The Yankees aren’t there yet. They haven’t made the call. But the interest is real, the potential fit obvious, and the opportunity – for both Robert and the Yankees – feels like one that’s been waiting to happen.
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