The White Sox Are Selling, Should The Cubs Inquire About Luis Robert Jr?

[Brock Beauchamp]

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the White Sox are very open for business (despite it being early June) and are open to dealing oft-injured star outfielder Luis Robert Jr.

Robert, who is signed through 2025 with two team options in 2026 and 2027, is scuffling a little this year (92 OPS+) but was stellar last season, posting a 5.0 rWAR season for the White Sox.

The Cubs' offense in May was terrible, posting the 25th wRC+ in baseball. If Robert is healthy, he's likely going to hit better as the season progresses. What would it take to pry Robert away from the Southside?

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[Cuzi]

Another OFer is just what the doctor ordered.

[Bertz]

Assuming he gets back to being what he was in '21-'23 and his rough start to this season fades as he knocks off the rust I think there's a real fit there.  The Cubs lineup could use a good impatient hitter IMO.  I wouldn't want a lineup of 9 guys that swing at everything, but every lineup should have 1-2 who do so and do so extremely well.

I think too the issue of too many outfielders is probably not as relevant for a plus defensive CFer.  It's not totally moot, but Robert pushing Bellinger to a corner where he's more unequivocally plus is a good thing.

I think for 2025+ planning, if you're making this move at least one of three things needs to be true;

- Bellinger is playing well enough you expect that he is opting out after the year

- You use PCA or Caissie as the currency to make the deal

- You've soured heavily on PA'S bat, and think he's a speed/glove oriented 5th outfielder type and not someone who will be getting many starts

TT has made good points about how we set the bar way too low for "too many outfielders" but going into 2025 with Happ, Suzuki, Robert, Bellinger, Tauchman, PCA in MLB with Alcantara/Caissie/Davis at Iowa is certainly too many outifielders unless you're down on several of the youths.

[WhyCantWeWin]

No

[17 Seconds]

31 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

Another OFer is just what the doctor ordered.

this one is really good though

[Rcal10]

He is exactly someone you go after. For him I would be willing to give up a solid package of prospects. 

[Tryptamine]

In a vacuum, yes. With the Cubs so heavily locked in for a few years in the OF, I'd pass and instead use those same assets to upgrade a position of severe need such as 3B/C even SP. 

 

Unrelated, but now that we don't have an all in one trade deadline thread I'm not even sure where to put it, but I'd really love to grab Yusei Kikuchi. His stuff has always been good, but he's actually utilizing it this year and I don't think the cost would be particularly high. 

Edited June 7, 2024 by Tryptamine

[BKHoo]

He would fit in well here, if/when he is healthy. But he is not always healthy. 

[JD94]

I’m all for it. I’m a little scared of the injuries though. I guess it depends on what type of injuries he’s having. If it’s hamstrings and lower back issues and those types of injuries, it’s possible he’s just injury prone. If it’s baseball related injuries like injured wrist from sliding or jammed shoulder from running into the wall, then that’s the different type of injury I’m talking about. He played 145 games last year, but he’s been hurt most of this year, only played 98 games in 2022, and 68 in 2021. That’s concerning when you’re considering the type of headliner you would have to give up to get him. Again, I don’t know the types of injuries he’s had though without looking it up. 

[Bertz]

LF - Happ

RF - Suzuki

CF - Robert

1B - Bellinger

3B - Morel

DH - Busch

C - Jansen

SS - Swanson

2B - Hoerner

Do it, cowards

 

[PeanutPunch33]

Personally, I would stay away.  It seems like he spends half his time on the IL, and the Cubs don't have a great track record of trading with the Sox.  He's undoubtedly a great player when healthy, possibly even the best CF behind Trout and maybe Michael Harris when healthy.  And he always destroys at Wrigley Field.  Damn, now I am kind of interested.. lol 

Edited June 7, 2024 by PeanutPunch33

[Rcal10]

42 minutes ago, Bertz said:

LF - Happ

RF - Suzuki

CF - Robert

1B - Bellinger

3B - Morel

DH - Busch

C - Jansen

SS - Swanson

2B - Hoerner

Do it, cowards

 

Yep. I would be very interested in him. The continual complaint here is the Cubs have decent players but no real stars. He would be that star. Sure, injuries are a concern. But honestly, if he didn’t have that issue the cost to get him would be outrageous. It will still be very high, but he would be the star. And they have him for several years at a reasonable cost. Yep, I would be all in on this. 

[NorthsideAvenger]

I don't think Robert is going to be worth what the WS will be demanding. That's a no for me on Robert.  

[Tryptamine]

a White Sox forum suggested Caissie and one of Alcantara/Shaw. If the 2nd piece is  Alcantara, I'm game even with the awkward roster fit.

[LBiittner]

Love the Theo mention

[Eeyore]

They could stick him in the outfield Weekend at Bernie's style and have PCA cover both positions.

A corpse would be less expensive, in terms of prospects, and be just as effective for 90 games per season.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

7 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Yeah, I don’t get this durability angle other than seeking an out for an org always seeking an out. Crow-Armstrong’s like the org’s prospect champion rn and topped out at 120 games in the pros, missed 2021 to a surgeried shoulder. Kevin Alcantara played 123 last year, a career high by nearly a dozen games. Caissie 120, Ballesteros 117, Shaw 100…And let’s be real: if someone *were* ultra durable and available (say Kyle Tucker) then it's aging and cap space and this and that as issues 

Minor Leagues don't play 162 games.  Robert has played 58% of games in the 3+ full seasons since the pandemic-shortened season, a 94 game pace.  There's a difference between 'oh this guy gets a little knock every year and gets rested like most modern players', and spending most of his career missing ~3 months worth of games per season.

[Rcal10]

2 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

a White Sox forum suggested Caissie and one of Alcantara/Shaw. If the 2nd piece is  Alcantara, I'm game even with the awkward roster fit.

Wish the GM listed to the forum. I would make that deal immediately. Either guy as the second part.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

3 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Another way to see Roberts’ career is that he’s never really missed time other than ‘21-‘22 right out of the pandemic. Well, this year too, but he’s also come back smacking the ball 

Okay, so Robert has never missed time aside from 2 of his 3 full length seasons, while he was very healthy for the short pandemic season and last year. And he's already missed over 50 games this year.  This is not a made up thing!  However convenient you might find it, a guy you're looking at paying a steep price for consistently failing to play 100 games, never mind 130-140, is a significant factor.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

1 minute ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Another way to see the 100 games thing is that he’s missed it twice (one by two games) in 4 opportunities and played the full available schedule the other 3

That situation’s fine for what they’d be landing at the cost 

full available schedule the other 2, one of which was a 60 game season.  And again, 100 games is not an okay level either, *just missing* 100 games played means you missed about 25% more of the season than you would want in a regular.  For his career he's averaging 100 games per 162, that's not enough to make qualifier leaderboards.  Not a small thing if you're talking about making a significant trade for a player.

[chibears55]

Sure, give them Happ and Hendricks 🤷‍♂️

[731.4life]

9 hours ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Inquire? They should land him! Sures up the defense, adds elite power, under a cheap contract from 26-29, and there’s more ceiling in there 

Pick up Kopech too 

Absolutely no way the Cubs trade for him. Robert Jr. is a "good player" but he is not going to elevate the Cubs to a new level. It'll be nonsense for the White Sox to trade for him, but if there's a package that's too good to ignore, then trade him. Banking on last years success.

[PeanutPunch33]

Amaya is so damn bad 

[Tryptamine]

A big nope if that's the ask

https://x.com/i/web/status/1799864540768698823

[chibears55]

A couple trades made today..

Mets trading Lindor to the As

Sox trading Robert to Phillies