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As the rumors swirl around Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr., there's no doubt that there are teams in active pursuit of him with the trade deadline approaching. While teams look to see if they want to take on Robert Jr.'s contract, there have already been attempts at him that the team has declined.
This comes from the reporting of The Athletic, who said that two teams made “aggressive attempts” at Robert, but Chicago “wanted a better return of prospects.”
“Two clubs made aggressive attempts last week to land Luis Robert Jr., league sources said, but the Chicago White Sox wanted a better return of prospects,” The Athletic wrote. “Indeed, Robert picked a fascinating time for a hot streak. Through 10 games in July, Robert is 12-for-33 (.364 batting average) with two home runs and three stolen bases. He had a scheduled day off on Tuesday, and he missed the first week of the month due to a hamstring injury.”
While Robert Jr.'s recent hot streak was mentioned, he currently sports a .206 batting average, .636 OPS, 10 home runs, and 40 RBIs in 323 plate appearances.
Teams see “the greatest upside” in White Sox's Luis Robert Jr.
Though it remains to be seen if Robert Jr. will be on the move from the White Sox, his trade stock has been up-and-down due to the production and injuries, but some teams could believe that the untapped potential is there. The Athletic would report that some teams see “the greatest upside” in Robert Jr. still.
“Compared to some other center fielders in the trade market, such as Cedric Mullins (Baltimore Orioles) and Harrison Bader (Minnesota Twins), rival scouts still say Robert holds the greatest upside,” The Athletic wrote. “He is 27 years old and is just two seasons removed from hitting 38 home runs.”
“League sources expect the market to further heat up for Robert, especially if he continues to hit,” The Athletic continued. “If not, in theory, it is possible that the White Sox could decide against trading Robert and pick up his $20 million club option for next season because of their low payroll. However, that would be a serious gamble on a player with health and production concerns.”
With the trade deadline on July 31, there's no doubt Robert Jr.'s status will be monitored.
