The New York Mets have been showing interest in star outfielder Luis Robert Jr. for quite some time.
Now, the Chicago White Sox have drawn their line in the sand. According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale, the White Sox have made it clear they want third baseman Mark Vientos as part of the return.
“The Chicago White Sox want third baseman Mark Vientos from the New York Mets in any deal for Luis Robert Jr., who has a .983 OPS in 11 July games,” wrote Nightengale.
Vientos has had a down year for the Mets as his OPS sits at just .638 through his first 257 at-bats of the season. However, he mashed 27 home runs and drove in 71 runs last year for New York.
That’s the raw power the White Sox are desperately searching for in the return. The Mets would likely have to add more given Robert Jr. has two club options for next season and 2027.
Robert Jr. has had his own share of struggles this season in Chicago, but as Nightengale pointed out, he’s started to find his groove in the month of July. That .983 OPS in his last 11 games is the kind of production teams wanted to see from him all season long.
If New York does find a way to acquire Robert Jr., it’ll also add Gold Glove defense in center field. It’s an upgrade from the combination of Jeff McNeil, Tyrone Taylor and Jose Siri that the Mets have used to this point.
Adding Robert Jr. makes a lot of sense for the Mets, and moving on from Vientos shouldn’t stop them from making the deal.
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