Aside from Garrett Crochet, Luis Robert Jr. is the largest commerce chip the White Sox have on supply because the membership appears to be like to proceed its rebuilding course of. Although 2024 was one other injury-marred season for Robert, Sox GM Chris Getz instructed the Chicago Solar-Occasions’ Daryl Van Schouwen (a number of hyperlinks) and different reporters that his group has “gotten loads of curiosity” in Robert’s companies throughout the Winter Conferences. The Reds look like a kind of events, as Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer studies that the Ohio group has “no less than checked in on Robert.”
It’s no secret that Getz is asking for lots in return for Robert, and the final supervisor defended his stance by saying that the White Sox are on the lookout for a commerce package deal commensurate to “the expertise that he brings to the desk” since Robert’s “instruments haven’t modified.”
“Clearly, the harm final 12 months was disruptive to [Robert’s] manufacturing, however the motive there’s a lot curiosity is as a result of perhaps a group appears like they’ll seize one thing that maybe didn’t present up final 12 months,” Getz mentioned.
Cincinnati is an fascinating potential commerce associate as a result of the Reds even have loads of high-ceiling youthful gamers coming off disappointing 2024 seasons. The Reds went 82-80 in 2023 and went into final season seeking to make a step ahead into rivalry, however as an alternative fell again to 77 wins as a result of Elly De La Cruz and Tyler Stephenson have been principally the one member of the group’s youthful core that met expectations. Whether or not because of accidents or simply plain under-performance, gamers like Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, Noelvi Marte, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand now head into the approaching season with a lot left to show about their building-block standing.
Speculatively, understanding a commerce package deal involving Robert and no less than one in all these gamers might assist offset among the considerations the Reds might need about Robert’s long-term well being. Granted, Getz isn’t more likely to promote low on Robert until he completely has to, however taking over a participant in a commerce package deal that can be a little bit of a query mark doesn’t seem to be an unreasonable strategy on the Reds’ half. Simply as Getz can argue that Robert’s underlying expertise is the important thing think about commerce talks, Cincinnati may take that very same argument with reference to any of its potential commerce chips.
The outfield is identified to be a goal space for the Reds, and Robert would handle that want in a giant means. With Robert stepping in as new common middle fielder, TJ Friedl might be shifted to left subject, if Steer is subsequently moved again to the infield. There are many methods supervisor Terry Francona might juggle his lineup round Robert as one of many on a regular basis cornerstones, and if one other harm did come up, Friedl, Will Benson, or Stuart Fairchild would presumably nonetheless be readily available to step again into middle subject.
A part of Robert’s commerce worth is tied to his contract, which is a discount if the outfielder is as wholesome and productive as he was in his All-Star 2023 season. Robert is ready to earn $15MM in 2025, and the White Sox have a pair of $20MM membership choices (with $2MM buyouts) for each the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Whereas not enormous cash by celebrity requirements, the Reds’ commerce efforts might be sophisticated if the group is certainly working inside very restricted payroll parameters.
Possession may be keen to allot more cash to the Reds’ payroll within the particular circumstance of a Robert commerce coming to fruition, or one other inventive reply might be explored. From Chicago’s perspective, Getz is open to concepts, noting that the White Sox have had some talks about three-team trades (presumably involving Robert or Crochet). “If that’s one of the best ways to amass the expertise to your group, you do it,” Getz mentioned.
