A blockbuster trade proposal has the Chicago White Sox trading All-Star outfielder Luis Robert Jr. to an up-and-coming National League team in a move that would shake up the postseason race in 2025.
The White Sox are coming off a historically bad season that saw them finish 41-121, marking the most losses for one team in the modern era. Luis Robert Jr. is one of the team’s few valuable remaining trade chips, so it only feels like a matter of time until GM Chris Getz deals him for a haul that would bring back key assets in their rebuild.
Robert Jr. is coming off a down season in which he hit .224 with a .379 slugging percentage and a .657 OPS, all career lows. However, he clubbed 14 homers (his second-best mark) and recorded a career-high 23 stolen bases.
His track record suggests that a bounce-back season is in store, which is why playoff-hopeful teams should be motivated to pursue him in a trade.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter proposed a blockbuster trade idea that has Chicago trading Luis Robert Jr. to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for a trio of prospects: starting pitchers Thomas Harrington and Khristian Kurtis plus slugger Tony Blanco Jr.:
“Despite injury issues, Robert has been a star when healthy, posting a 117 OPS+ over his five seasons in the majors while averaging 36 doubles, 31 home runs, 85 RBI, 24 steals and 4.8 WAR per 162 games.
The 27-year-old has a $15 million salary for the 2025 season and a pair of matching $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027 that both carry a $2 million buyout, so it’s not necessarily a risky financial move for a budget-conscious franchise like the Pirates.
He would join Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz to form one of the better offensive outfields in baseball and give Pirates fans a reason to believe the front office is serious about making the jump from rebuilding to contending.”
Luis Robert Jr 2020-2023 (excluding his 2024 season):
— Kick Dirt Baseball (@KickDirtBB) January 30, 2025
• 1519 PA
• .279/.327/.500 (.827 OPS)
• 125 wRC+, 74 HR, 84 2B, 46 SB, 12 fWAR
Get a healthy La Pantera a change of scenery and he will explode. He also has 15 career DRS. pic.twitter.com/lKVx4HzgfK
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The Pirates finished 76-86 last season, their sixth consecutive losing season. Having last made the postseason in 2015, and playing in a wide-open NL Central, the Pirates should definitely see if Robert Jr. can be had at a fair price.
Luis Robert Jr. Is Under Club Control Through 2027
One reason Robert Jr. should be extra attractive to playoff hopefuls like the Pirates? He’s only signed through 2025 but carries reasonable club options for 2026 and 2027, meaning he’s under team control for three more years.
