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The Cincinnati Reds had a disappointing 2024 season, finishing with 77 wins. Their offense was particularly disappointing but they could not afford the highest caliber of free agents this winter. In recent days, Cinncinati has brought in outfielder Austin Hays and brought in two pitchers to supplement their roster. But The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Thursday that the Reds and White Sox were in trade discussions about Luis Robert Jr.
“The teams did not resolve how much of Robert’s salary the White Sox would have paid, sources said,” Rosenthal reported. “Reds infield prospect Edwin Arroyo, who missed all of last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, was one player under discussion. But ultimately, the Reds could not get comfortable with the total cost.”
Arroyo was the Reds' number three prospect in MLB.com's 2024 rankings and the top position player. So if the White Sox do trade Robert, they will look for a massive haul. They traded Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox earlier this offseason and got four prospects currently in their top 15.
Trading Robert would be the final big step of the White Sox teardown. For the Reds, it would be a massive move to put them in NL Central contention.
The Reds and White Sox should not stop talks around Luis Robert Jr
Robert is due $15 million in 2025 and has $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027. The White Sox should trade him this year, before those club options come into play, as his value will be the highest. While multiple teams should be in on the Robert discussions, the Reds are in a unique position to make this trade.
During their rebuilding period, the Reds hit on a lot of infielders in the draft. Elly De La Cruz is a bona fide superstar, Matt McLain has had a great start to his career, and Noelvi Marte should bounce back. But their outfield is not as deep and Robert would immediately become the best player out there.
Arroyo might be a top-end infielder in the majors but has a long path to get into the Reds lineup. There are five other infielders among their top ten prospects, so trading from strength should be their strategy. The highest-ranked outfielder is Hector Rodriguez at number 12.
The White Sox should be going after the best prospects available in a Robert trade. The Reds have a great pipeline but the financial considerations need to be figured out.
