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Report: Chicago White Sox Taking New Stance on Luis Robert Trade
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- Report: Chicago White Sox Taking New Stance on Luis Robert Trade
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
A month out from the MLB trade deadline, Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr.'s trade value had plummeted to an all-time low, and some theorized he could be moved in a salary dump. Weeks later, the situation seems to have changed.
Buster Olney of ESPN wrote that it now "seems unlikely" that the White Sox will move Robert Jr. at the MLB trade deadline. Likewise, Robert Murray of Fansided reported that Chicago is operating as if it will keep its All-Star outfielder.
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Luis Robert stats ( ESPN ):.206/.293/.343, .636 OPS, 10 home runs, 41 RBI, 26 steals, 37 runs scored in 286 at-bats
Just a month ago, the White Sox front office was reportedly open to incentivizing teams to acquire Robert. The 27-year-old outfielder was in the midst of a career-worst season, and Chicago could have had an opportunity to dump the remainder of his 2025 salary.
Now, per Olney and Murray, Chicago is envisioning a future with Robert that extends into 2026. That could mean exercising the $20 million club option for next season—a decision that seemed highly improbable just a few weeks ago.
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Luis Robert Jr contract ( Spotrac ): $15 million salary in 2025, $20 million club options for 2026-'27 with a $2 million buyout
It's not for a lack of interest in Robert. The Athletic 's Katie Woo, Patrick Mooney, and Will Sammon reported that two clubs made "aggressive attempts" to acquire him. However, Chicago insisted on a better return.
This likely stems from the 6-foot-2 outfielder's turnaround at the plate. Since coming off the injured list on July 8, Robert owns a .982 OPS with a .351/.442/.541 triple-slash line, hitting 2 home runs with 4 steals and 10 runs scored in 37 at-bats.
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Chicago's hope appears to be that Robert's resurgence carries over into August and September, rebuilding his trade value to set up a bigger deal this winter. If that proves true, the top outfielder believed to be on the trade market now seems poised to stay in Chicago.
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