White Sox CF Luis Robert Jr.'s Top Landing Spots amid Latest MLB Trade Rumors

Any team in the market for a dynamic center fielder with multiple years left on his contract might want to call the Chicago White Sox.

The trade deadline may not be until July 30, but ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Tuesday that the White Sox are already open for business and "are willing to deal" Luis Robert Jr. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post on Thursday, the White Sox are even "actively seeking packages" for Robert.

It's an about-face for Chicago general manager Chris Getz, whose line on the 26-year-old in December was: "I have a tough time seeing him wearing another uniform next year."

But such is life amid the kind of year the White Sox are having. "Catastrophic" doesn't even cut it, as their 15-48 start has them on pace for 123 losses. That would break the modern MLB record of 120.

So, it's fair game to speculate on landing spots for Robert. But first, we have to assess his trade value.

We know Robert is capable of being an elite center fielder from his total body of work, but especially from what he did in 2023.

Last season saw him log a career-high 145 games and finish with 38 home runs, 20 stolen bases, an .857 OPS and 5.0 rWAR. Among all center fielders, only Julio Rodríguez had him beat in the latter category.

However, while Robert has been an All-Star and also won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger, he's not without his warts.

He has 316 more strikeouts than walks for his career, and he's spent a ton of time on the injured list in three of the last four seasons. So it goes in 2024, as he's fresh off a two-month stay on the IL with a hip flexor strain.

Still, Robert is too young for anyone to assume injuries will always be a factor in his career. And factoring in two club options, he'll make only $67.5 million between now and 2027. He'd almost certainly make more than that on the open market.

Baseball Trade Values estimates his surplus value at $36.4 million. That doesn't make him worth a Jackson Holliday or a Paul Skenes level of prospect in a trade, but it is enough to command a haul consisting of at least one top-100 type.

With this in mind, let's size up 10 potential suitors based on how badly they need Robert and how much sense they make as trading partners for the White Sox.

Note: All farm system and prospect rankings are courtesy of B/R's Joel Reuter.

10. San Diego Padres

Record: 32-34, 2nd in NL West

Current Center Fielder: Jackson Merrill

The Padres acquired Dylan Cease from the White Sox in March, and now they reportedly have their eye on left-hander Garrett Crochet. Could a package deal work? It's a fun concept, but here's where reality crashes the party: San Diego's outfield is already one of MLB's best.

9. Minnesota Twins

Record: 33-29, 3rd in AL Central

Current Center Fielder: Byron Buxton

Buxton's return to center field isn't going well, as he has only .639 OPS on top of less-than-encouraging hitting metrics. A trade for Robert would spare Buxton from this burden, but the Twins also have bigger needs to fill. Like, say, in left field and on the mound.

8. San Francisco Giants

Record: 30-33, T-3rd in NL West

Current Center Fielder: Mike Yastrzemski

The Giants were dealt a huge blow when Jung Hoo Lee had season-ending shoulder surgery last month. They'd certainly be better off with Robert in his place than Yastrzemski. But with only so many prospects to barter with, they should seek less-risky additions.

7. Baltimore Orioles

Record: 39-22, 2nd in AL East

Current Center Fielder: Cedric Mullins

The Orioles need a pitcher or two much more than they need another hitter, but they do have the prospect capital to pursue Robert. He'd be an easy upgrade over Mullins, who's already losing playing time amid a struggle marked by a .539 OPS.

6. Atlanta

Record: 35-25, 2nd in NL East

Current Center Fielder: Michael Harris II

Atlanta isn't necessarily seeking an outfielder in the wake of Ronald Acuña Jr.'s torn ACL, but a deal for Robert is as close as they can come to filling those shoes. But if they add even $4 million in average value to their books, they'll go over the second luxury-tax threshold.

Record: 37-26, 2nd in AL Central

Current Center Fielder: Kyle Isbel

It's a heck of a start the Royals are off to, but it's not too soon for them to be thinking about heading off regression on offense.

Notably, they're trying to become the first team since 2013 to hit .304 with runners in scoring position throughout a full season. It's not likely, given that the leaguewide average is 13 points lower now than it was that year.

Center field is as good a place as any for Kansas City to seek a hitting upgrade. Isbel's glove works just fine, but he might as well be brandishing a rolled-up newspaper at the plate. He has only a .584 OPS.

For what it's worth, Robert has done well at pitcher-friendly Kauffman Stadium. He has six homers there, his second-most at any venue after Guaranteed Rate Field.

Trade Proposal: Kansas City Royals get CF Luis Robert Jr., 3B Yoán Moncada; Chicago White Sox get 3B Cayden Wallace (Royals No. 1), LHP Frank Mozzicato (Royals No. 2), C Blake Mitchell (Royals No. 3)

The problem here is that Kansas City's farm system just isn't great right now. That could be no biggie if the White Sox are fine with moving Robert in a salary dump like this one, but that's assuming they want payroll relief more than young talent.

Record: 30-33, T-3rd in NL West

Current Center Fielder: Corbin Carroll

Carroll's struggles are one of the great mysteries of 2024, but could it be he's just not cut out to be an everyday center fielder?

Here's what has me thinking as much:

• As RF: 66 G, .906 OPS
• As LF: 84 G, .855 OPS
• As CF: 102 G, .645 OPS

Coincidence, perhaps, but the Diamondbacks also have another, more straightforward excuse to be thinking about Robert: Their offense just plain needs another bat.

It started strong in April but has since managed only 3.8 runs per game dating back to April 24. That would place among the dregs of MLB if it was the team's average for the year.

Trade Proposal: Arizona Diamondbacks get CF Luis Robert Jr.; Chicago White Sox get SS Tommy Troy (Diamondbacks No. 2, MLB No. 89), OF Druw Jones (Diamondbacks No. 3), 1B/3B Ivan Melendez (Diamondbacks No. 5)

This deal works on paper, and it could work in reality if the White Sox bought into Jones' resurgence in 2024 after his pro career got off to a rough start. But the big prize in Arizona's system is certainly shortstop Jordan Lawlar, and he's likely somewhere between untouchable and too valuable to exchange for Robert anyway.

Record: 40-21, 1st in AL Central

Current Center Fielder: Tyler Freeman

The Guardians entered Thursday tied with the Orioles for the MLB lead in scoring at 5.10 runs per game. Impressive...but is it sustainable?

Doubt creeps in when you notice Cleveland barely has a better OPS than Arizona. And then still more doubt when you see its average with runners in scoring position (.294) is absurdly higher than the general average (.238).

Like with the Royals, center field is a candidate for a better hitter if the Guardians seek to lengthen their lineup. It has only a .212 average and .298 OBP.

Plus, Robert could be helpful in holding off the Royals. Apropos of his success at Kauffman Stadium, it's not surprising that his nine homers against them are his most against any team.

Trade Proposal: Cleveland Guardians get CF Luis Robert Jr.; Chicago White Sox get 1B Kyle Manzardo (Guardians No. 2, MLB No. 60), OF Jaison Chourio (Guardians No. 3, MLB No. 97), 2B Juan Brito (Guardians No. 4)

The White Sox probably couldn't extract outfielder Chase DeLauter from the Guardians, but this package would be a more-than-fair Plan B. If anything, it's easier to imagine Cleveland balking. That's a lot of talent to send to an AL Central rival, after all.

Record: 39-25, 1st in NL West

Current Center Fielder: Andy Pages

Nobody has anything bad to say about the top half of the Dodgers lineup.

The MVP trio of Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman has, as expected, been excellent. And in the spots behind them, Will Smith and Teoscar Hernández are both having fine years.

But then things get not so great, and to say center field has been one of the club's offensive liabilities would be putting it lightly. The position has produced only a .539 OPS, second-lowest in MLB after only the St. Louis Cardinals.

That's one area where Robert could help. As the Dodgers have also gotten minus-six Defensive Runs Saved from center field, his glove would also be welcome.

Trade Proposal: Los Angeles Dodgers get CF Luis Robert Jr.; Chicago White Sox get OF Andy Pages (Dodgers No. 1, MLB No. 22), RHP River Ryan (Dodgers No. 4)

Now we're talking. Pages is a project, but he posted huge numbers at Triple-A before the Dodgers called him up on April 16. He could step right into Robert's shoes on the South Side.

But if the White Sox want both quality and quantity in a Robert trade, this wouldn't quite make the grade. Ryan is a solid prospect in theory, but he's also still in the process of coming back from a shoulder injury.

Record: 44-19, 1st in NL East

Current Center Fielder: Johan Rojas

What do you get for a team that otherwise has everything, including a lineup full of sluggers? Another slugger, of course, and particularly one who can play center field better than Rojas.

Though Rojas gets the bat to the ball as well as anyone, he's only hitting .234 with five extra-base hits out of 39 total hits.

His defense also deserves scrutiny. It was a benefit in 2023, but this season has seen his Defensive Runs Saved take a 16-run swing in the wrong direction.

Robert should thus have two-fold appeal to the Phillies. Maybe even three-fold, if one buys they need another right-handed bat to account for Nick Castellanos' ongoing slump.

Trade Proposal: Philadelphia Phillies get CF Luis Robert Jr.; Chicago White Sox get SS Aidan Miller (Phillies No. 2, MLB No. 40), OF Justin Crawford (Phillies No. 4, MLB No. 58), SS William Bergolla (Phillies No. 9)

Consider this a reminder that the Phillies also have a good farm system going for them, yet this deal would still allow them to keep their No. 1 and No. 3 prospects in right-handers Andrew Painter and Mick Abel.

And yet, the White Sox wouldn't be settling. Miller has a future as a power-hitting infielder and Crawford is a speedster in the mold of his old man, Carl. As returns go, this would be exciting indeed.

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.