MLB insider Jeff Passan calls Luis Robert Jr. a top trade deadline ‘change-of-scenery candidate’

Since 2023, Luis Robert Jr. has failed to recapture the form he had. He was a dominant hitter, blasting nearly 40 home runs and posting a 128 wRC+. He’s come nowhere close to that level as his team continues to struggle mightily.

In 2024, Robert posted an 84 wRC+, 16 points lower than the league average. He only amassed 0.5 fWAR. In 2025, he’s not off to a good start. He’s posted an even worse 71 wRC+ and has 0.0 fWAR.

The Chicago White Sox have been historically bad during that time, which might’ve hurt Robert. MLB insider Jeff Passan believes he is the perfect player to get a change of scenery this year. He said that Robert’s slow start warrants some panic.

“The White Sox held onto Robert this winter figuring his value had reached its nadir and that they could rebuild it and move him at the trade deadline,” Passan said. “Not only has he been a demonstrably worse hitter, his center-field defense also has plateaued.”

That said, moving him might do wonders for everyone. Passan added:

“This is the ultimate change-of-scenery candidate, though with a club option for $20 million in 2026 and 2027, teams could treat Robert as more of a rental than long-term solution. With a turnaround, he could well earn it.”

The last couple of seasons have been awful for both Robert and the Sox, so it might be a good time to part ways.

Landing spots for Luis Robert Jr if the White Sox trade

The White Sox are again one of baseball’s worst teams, so trading Luis Robert Jr., even if his value is at an all-time low, would be wise. They’re not going anywhere with him.

The New York Yankees make sense since neither Cody Bellinger nor Jasson Dominguez has been particularly good with the bat, and Robert’s upside means he could end up being better than both.

The New York Mets currently have the 26th-best center field depth per Fangraphs, so adding Robert could put them over the top in the National League and cement them as true contenders.

The Cleveland Guardians (24th), Philadelphia Phillies (23rd), Cincinnati Reds (22nd), Arizona Diamondbacks (21st), Boston Red Sox (16th) and Houston Astros (15th) are all contenders who could benefit from adding Robert to their outfield as well.

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Zachary is a journalist covering NFL, Professional Golf, esports, and Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda. He has a degree in writing/editing from Southern Adventist University (USA), and in his spare time, he likes to play games such as Minecraft, Pokémon and Fortnite, or watch sports.

Ever since he was a youth football wide receiver, Zachary has been an avid NFL fan. He loves the Carolina Panthers, with Cam Newton being his all-time favorite player (with respect to the close second, Steve Smith). If you ever meet Zachary, prepare to hear all about how underrated Newton was and how he single-handedly dragged the Panthers to Super Bowl 50.

Zachary is also a big fan of top golfers like Tiger Woods, Wyndham Clark, and Scottie Scheffler. He enjoys watching them and hopes that Woods can return to form soon and win again.

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Edited by Krutik Jain