Over the past few years, the Philadelphia Phillies have been interested in trading for Luis Robert Jr.
There hasn't been a deal done just yet, but with the Phillies needing a bat and their outfield still being below average, there could be a scenario where the Phillies look to make a trade for the right-handed hitter in the near future.
With him likely being available at the deadline, the teams around Major League Baseball should be lined up to trade for him despite the slow start.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Chicago White Sox are hopeful that they'll be able to trade him before Memorial Day.
That’d mean the White Sox would move him in a deal much earlier than the trade deadline, which could be a bit strange, considering some teams might be willing to overpay at the end of July.
“Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert finally started to hit (.346 with three homers, eight RBI and six stolen bases) this past week. If he continues, the White Sox hope to have him traded by Memorial Day,” Nightengale wrote.
Robert struggled mightily to start the year, hitting .138 just 10 games ago. However, he's raised his batting average to .195 and has hit three home runs during that span.
He's a very polarizing player and perhaps a bit overrated, but his star potential is there. The issue, however, is that he can't stay on the field, playing in more than 100 games just once in his six-year career.
Even when he's been on the field, he hasn't exactly put up incredible numbers. Last year, he posted an 87 OPS+ and 14 home runs in 425 plate appearances.
Still, if the Phillies could find a way to make a deal for him, it might not be a bad idea to move on from some of their top prospects.
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