After setting a modern-day Major League Baseball record with 121 losses in 2024, the Chicago White Sox continue to set their sights on the future.
The White Sox, who last made the postseason in 2021, have young guns like Colson Montgomery and Kyle Teel leading their rebuildâone of Chicago’s veterans, Luis Robert Jr., is having a down year at the plate.
Robert, 27, hit a career high of 38 home runs in 2023, but his struggles with the bat and injury history have dramatically hurt his numbers. Still, several MLB clubs could use his services for the second half of the 2025 season.
MLB Insider Reveals Teams Who Have Interest in Robert
On Sunday, Jon Heyman of The New York Post wrote that as many as eight teams have expressed interest in Robert ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.
Heyman included the New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Kansas City Royals as teams to watch in the Robert sweepstakes.
Robert finished the first half of the season with a poor .190/.275/.325 slash line with nine home runs and a .599 OPS, but used his speed to his advantage, swiping 22 bases in 28 attempts. The Cuba native recorded a career-high 31 walks in 79 games, but his walk rate remains low compared to other hitters in the league.
“That he [Robert] beats up on left-handed pitchers (.285/.403/.484) and has an OPS of .886 against them makes him an intriguing addition to teams with powerful lefties in their division,” Bleacher Report’s Erik Beaston wrote about Robert’s excellent hitting this season against left-handed pitching.
“The Mets, in particular, are an intriguing fit in that their top competition comes from Philadelphia, which touts Christopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez in their starting lineup, both of whom are left-handed throwers.”
The Mets and Philadelphia Phillies will face off six more times in the 2025 regular season, and the two National League East clubs met in last year’s NL Championship Series.
Which Team is the Best Fit for Robert?
Any club in need of an outfielder is likely to make at least one call to the Chicago White Sox about Robert. What team will make the best bid?
Beaston feels that Robert’s trade value is much lower than in previous seasons, due to his recent play. However, Beaston does not think that the outfielder’s underwhelming statistics will hurt Robert’s chances of switching teams.
“Regardless of which team he [Robert] potentially ends up on, his perceived low value according to analysts and fans alike does not appear to be influencing how much front offices would like to have a player of his potential on their rosters.”
The New York Post’s Heyman previously connected Robert to the New York Mets in May, and he makes a lot of sense for the club from Queens. Outfielders Jesse Winker, Jose Siri, and Starling Marte are on the injured list, and center fielder Tyrone Taylor has a .580 OPS in 86 games.
While Robert no longer hits home runs at the rate he did two seasons ago, his speed, ability to hit lefties, and defense in the outfield make him an obvious candidate for the Mets.
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