The Mets were previously linked with the center fielder at last year’s trade deadline
Earlier today, Munetaka Murakami, whom the Mets were reportedly interested in signing, inked a two-year, $34 million deal with the White Sox, one day ahead of the deadline to sign the Japanese slugger during his posting window. Following the news, Bob Nightengale reported that the White Sox are interested in moving Luis Robert Jr. and are talking with the Mets and Reds about a potential deal for the center fielder.
The Mets were previously linked the 2023 American League All-Star ahead of last year’s trade deadline, though they ended up acquiring Cedric Mullins as outfield help. Alex Choi profiled Robert Jr. before the deadline, highlighting his declining offensive ability while also noting that his outfield defense had taken a step back in recent years. A lot of what Alex wrote still holds—Robert Jr. finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2020 and won a Silver Slugger Award while finishing 12th in AL MVP voting in 2023, but his last two years have not been as good.
Robert Jr.’s wRC+ has plummeted from 129 in 2023 to 84 in 2024 and 84 again in 2025. After finishing 2023 with a 4.9 fWAR, he posted a 0.6 fWAR in 2024 and a slightly-better 1.3 fWAR in 2025. He concluded 2025 slashing .223/.297/.364—career lows across the board—with 14 homers, 53 runs batted in and 52 runs scored in 110 games. He also strikes out a ton, with a 33.2% K% in 2024 (2nd percentile in MLB) and a 26.0% K% in 2025 (19th percentile in MLB). On the positive side, his 33 stolen bases were a career-best.
The Mets are most likely targeting Robert Jr. for his defense and baserunning, as his glove work at a premium position is still elite. He finished 2025 with seven Outs Above Average, putting him in the 93rd percentile. His arm value (63rd percentile) and arm strength (53rd percentile) are not nearly as strong, but overall he was good for a +7 Run Value in 2025, putting him in the 87th percentile. He is also an elite base runner, as evident by the 33 steals and his sprint speed, which is in the 90th percentile.
Nightengale mentioned in his post that the White Sox are interested in pitching depth in return. The Mets have several young arms, but it’s unclear whether they’d would want to part with any of them in this deal (and it probably would not be smart to utilize them as chips in a deal for Robert Jr.) In terms of pitchers with more major league experience, the Mets have floated both David Peterson and Kodai Senga’s names in trade rumors this offseason, but it’s unclear if there’s a fit here or any interest to include them here.
The 28-year-old Robert Jr. is due to make $20 million in 2026 and has a club option for $20 million in 2027 as part of his six-year, $50 million deal reached before the 2020 season. For now, the team has Tyrone Taylor slotted to play center after agreeing to a $3.8 million deal with the outfielder to avoid arbitration. Carson Benge is also expected to get an opportunity to make the team and will likely debut during the 2026 season.
Category: General Sports
