Aug 24, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth (10) celebrates with center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) team's win against the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Cardinals Should Pursue $50 Million Bounce Back OF in Free Agency

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals are headed for a long and stressful rebuild. They're not a bad team right now, but they're far from a true World Series contender. In fact, the gap between the top six or seven teams in the National League and the Cardinals isn't a lot of games, but it's a lot of talent.

St. Louis needs to begin to rebuild in the offseason. This starts with free agency and potential trades, as the Cardinals should have a little bit of money to spend and trade assets to move in potential blockbuster deals.

Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly recently predicted the Chicago White Sox would decline the option on Luis Robert Jr.'s contract, opting to allow him to enter free agency this winter. If this is the case, the Cardinals should take a chance on him as a bounce-back candidate for their rebuilding team.

Luis Robert Jr. is the perfect Cardinals free agent target

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

"Even for a team without a ton of financial commitments moving forward, the White Sox can't justify picking up the $20 million player option on an injury-plagued player who has a .660 OPS since the start of the 2024 season," Kelly wrote. "He's still only 28, so the team declining his option might be the best thing that could happen for the former All-Star."

Robert has been one of the worst hitters in baseball for the last two years, but before that, he hit nearly 40 home runs in a season. With everything clicking for the young star, he could be a 40/40 candidate in the right situation.

Obviously, the situation with the White Sox is the wrong situation. Robert needs out and this could be the perfect pairing.

At the worst, Robert would be a higher potential version of Victor Scott II. Scott is a slightly better defender, but Robert is still elite. Robert has the potential to hit 40 home runs and 40 doubles in a season if he can return to the player he was two or three years ago. Scott doesn't have that potential.

If Robert is a free agent and willing to sign an affordable one or two-year contract, the Cardinals need to take a shot at landing him.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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