The Chicago White Sox entered the season expected to deal Luis Robert Jr., but the outfielder has not had a strong enough season to garner the return Chicago wanted.
According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the White Sox are more likely to pick up Robert Jr.’s $20 million club option for next season than trade their centerfielder.
Robert Jr. was expected to be one of the biggest outfield targets at this season’s trade deadline, but he has continued to decline over the last two seasons. The White Sox are likely to hold out hope that he turns it back on next season, and they can trade the outfielder for a better return at next season’s deadline.
The White Sox center fielder is hitting .213 entering Thursday and has been below league average at the plate the past two seasons. While he has gathered interest at the trade deadline, he is far from the player he was in 2023. This has made the White Sox timid to deal the outfielder.
There is still a chance that the White Sox make a trade, but it seems likely that no team is willing to pay the price that the White Sox are asking for Robert Jr. If they moved him, a team would have to overpay for his production, or the White Sox would have to bite the bullet and take a lesser offer.
With the clock ticking, it seems unlikely that the White Sox get a deal done.
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