At 15-38, the Chicago White Sox are having a season to forget. But while the White Sox are poised to be sellers at the MLB trade deadline, Chicago isn't too keen to deal outfielder Luis Robert Jr.
Robert is only 26-years-old and is under team control through 2027. Despite being deemed their best trade asset, Chicago is ‘resisting temptation,' to deal away their star outfielder, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Their stance comes when Robert is nearing a return to the field after being out for two months with a hip flexor strain.
If the White Sox were to trade away Robert, they would undoubtedly get a king's ransom in return. Despite his injury struggles, Robert is one of the best young hitters in the league. He would be an immediate upgrade to any team's lineup.
However, by 2027, Chicago is hopeful that their rebuild will have been fortuitous. If they can get back into contention, Robert could lead the way offensively from the middle of the lineup. While he would need to sit through plenty of bad times, the White Sox's theory would see him and the team back in the playoffs when all said is done.
But a plan is one thing, execution is another. Clearly Chicago has to make plenty of changes and upgrades to get back into the NL Central race let alone overall playoff discussion.
Still, Robert is a player the White Sox are hoping to build around. If things get bad enough, and the offer becomes too good to pass up, Chicago may ultimately have to trade their outfielder away. But if it's up to them, Robert would remain on the South Side for the foreseeable future despite the ongoing struggles.
Luis Robert becomes key piece of White Sox future
After he defected from Cuba, Chicago signed Robert to a contract that included a $26 million signing bonus in 2017. By 2018, he was the third-best prospect in the White Sox's organization, via MLB Pipeline. And by 2020, Robert had ascended to MLB.
In 56 games as a rookie, Robert hit .233 with 11 home runs, 31 RBI and nine stolen bases. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting while winning his first Gold Glove. From there, Robert has only improved.
He hit a career-high .338 with 13 home runs, 43 RBI and six stolen bases in 2021. His batting average dropped to .284 in 2022, but he was a bit more well-rounded with 12 home runs, 56 RBI and 11 stolen bases. But when fans and pundits look back on Robert's young career thus far, they'll point to the 2023 season.
Over 145 games, Robert earned his first ever All-Star nomination by hitting .264 with 38 home runs, 80 RBI and 20 stolen bases. When teams ponder a trade for Robert, they're hoping he returns that kind of value.
But the White Sox aren't necessarily trying to lose that from their lineup. They know it'll be a while until their contenders, but Robert's contract keeps him in town long-term. They want to build around him, rather than go deeper into a rebuild.
Still, things have not been going well in Chicago. Luis Robert is one of the few beacons of light for the White Sox. The team doesn't want their season and franchise to go pitch black with a trade anytime soon.
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