For the last few months, the Chicago White Sox and outfielder Luis Robert Jr. have been linked to trade rumors, but no deal has seemingly come close to fruition.
These rumors have been quite a roller-coaster ride. A deal seemed to be imminent last season and during the offseason, but Robert has struggled tremendously, and it’s led to a stalemate.
FanSided’s Nick Villano recently predicted the White Sox would finally find a trade for Robert this season, even going as far as to link him to the San Diego Padres in a potential deal.
“It seems like Luis Robert Jr. is a case of a team holding onto a player too long,” Villano wrote. “It seems inevitable that he is going to be traded this season, but his .190 average and just nine home runs aren’t exactly going to demand a massive return for the South Siders.
“Robert was once a promising outfielder who was supposed to be here when the White Sox were ready to compete. Now, a competing White Sox team looks as elusive as Robert’s breakout. There are multiple teams reportedly in on the 27-year-old, but the San Diego Padres stand out. They’ve taken chances on talent in the past and have been willing to slightly overpay. That feels like a match made in White Sox Heaven.”
The White Sox will likely finally cut ties with Robert this season. It doesn’t seem like he’s going to turn his play around in the Windy City, so there’s no reason to believe he’s going to rebuild his trade value.
A deal with the Padres would make a lot of sense. San Diego has Fernando Tatis Jr. in right field and Jackson Merrill in center field for the foreseeable future. Adding Robert beside those two would give the Padres the best defensive outfield in the league. Robert would also be in a much better spot to succeed than he is in Chicago.
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