After a year-and-a-half of decline, center fielder Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox offered a brutally honest evaluation of his trade worth.
On Tuesday, Robert, who is hitting just.186/.281/.308 with five home runs and an OPS+ of 70, told reporters, including Scott Merkin of MLB.com, that he doesn’t see why any team would want to sign him before the deadline.
Through the team interpreter, Robert stated, “As my season is going, I don’t think anybody is going to take a chance on me right now.” “I simply concentrate on trying to improve. There is nothing else that comes to mind.
Over the past two seasons, Robert’s performance has drastically decreased. He made his first appearance on the All-Star team in 2023, hitting.264/.315/.542 with 38 home runs, 36 doubles, and an OPS+ of 130.
On Tuesday, Robert, who is hitting just.186/.281/.308 with five home runs and an OPS+ of 70, told reporters, including Scott Merkin of MLB.com, that he doesn’t see why any team would want to sign him before the deadline.
But in 2024, when he played 100 games due to injuries, his stats drastically declined: he had a.224/.278/.379 slash line, 14 home runs, 19 doubles, and an 86 OPS+. This year, his performance has been worse.
Merkin was informed by Robert that he is attempting to regain his All-Star status.
Every day, I strive to be that player. I do everything in my power to be that player. “I can’t control it if the results aren’t there at the end of the day,” Robert stated. “Everyone here puts in a lot of effort to achieve the outcomes each day. You definitely feel a little depressed when you put in a lot of effort and the results aren’t there.
Despite his offensive struggles, Robert is playing Gold Glove-caliber defense, leading MLB in stolen bases (17), and showing improved plate discipline. He’s walking 11.7% of the time while chasing strikes out of the zone only 29% — both career bests.
“I’ve been stealing a lot of bases just because I have that ability and just trying to make the most of the chances that are on the bases,” Robert described. “There have been few instances where I’ve been able to do that, especially with the season that I’ve been having at the plate. But that’s something that I enjoy and like I said before, I try to help my team in any way I can.”
Robert was widely viewed as a top trade candidate heading into the year, despite his disappointing 2024 season. His contract includes $20 million team options each for 2026 and 2027. If he was playing like he did in 2023, it would be a no-brainer for playoff teams to deal for Robert, but now, with the White Sox holding onto him for too long, he appears to be a sunken cost.