The post Report: White Sox to pick up Luis Robert Jr.’s $20 million option if not traded appeared first on Sox On 35th.
The trade deadline is quickly approaching, and the White Sox have a decision to make about their center fielder – one that certainly is not easy.
The decision of whether or not the White Sox will trade Luis Robert Jr. has dominated the news cycle for White Sox trade rumors at this point, with the deadline looming on Thursday. This morning, a new report by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reveals that Chris Getz and Co. still view Robert Jr. highly and will look for a top 10 prospect in any potential return. If that asking price is not met, then the White Sox front office is prepared to pick up Robert Jr.’s $20 million option for 2026.
This was followed shortly after by a tweet from ESPN’s Buster Olney, who echoed similar sentiments to Rosenthal with some added context. He once again mentioned the Phillies and Mets – the two teams that have been connected the most to Robert Jr. in the past few days – but added the Padres as a team interested as well.
While Mark Vientos and Brett Baty have been names floated in rumors, Luisangel Acuna is the latest name from the Mets to be floated out there. Acuna, 23, has posted a 69 OPS+ and .578 OPS in 175 plate appearances this season and has never really been known for his bat.
Robert Jr., 27, has been heating up as of late after his slow start and injuries once again prevented him from reaching his potential. The center fielder is hitting .205/.292/.348 on the season, but .318/.412/.545 since returning from injury on July 8. He has struggled mightily against RHP this season (46 wRC+) but hammered LHP (171 wRC+). It’s worth noting that since July 8, he has a 105 wRC+ against RHP – not exactly elite, but also not as dismal as his season-long numbers suggest.
This hot streak has served a dual purpose for White Sox fans and evaluators alike:
- It’s reaffirmed Robert Jr.’s talent during a period when it would be fair to question if his best seasons were simply outliers.
- It’s caused White Sox fans – and likely the front office – to reconsider whether or not moving Robert Jr. for a depreciated return is worth it.
With the White Sox’ payroll commitments at just $17.1 million outside of arbitration-eligible and league-minimum players (Andrew Benintendi is the only player on a guaranteed contract next season), it’s fair to wonder whether picking up Robert Jr.’s option and hoping for further bounceback – and an improved return with still one option year remaining – is the team’s best option to maximize assets while also (likely) keeping payroll to a minimum. At the same time, if funds will be limited, could that $20 million be spent better elsewhere to ensure the team remains committed to year-over-year improvement?
There’s no clear answer to this right now – and the industry reports reflect that.
There are just over 48 hours until the Trade Deadline, so expect news to continue to heat up over the coming days. However, at this point, it still appears that the industry believes Robert Jr. will be wearing a different jersey on August 1 of this season.
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Featured Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The post Report: White Sox to pick up Luis Robert Jr.’s $20 million option if not traded appeared first on Sox On 35th.