Mets trade proposal lands Luis Robert Jr. from White Sox

A Robert trade would be low-risk, high-reward for the Mets. If he could return to his old form, then the team would have another key piece for a title run. If not, then the team could let him walk in the offseason. Robert’s contract includes club options for each of the next two years.

His struggles this season mean that he should be cheap in a trade, too. In this deal, the Mets wouldn’t have to give up any of their top prospects. At the bare minimum, even if Robert isn’t able to get above the Mendoza Line, he could be used as a base-stealing specialist.

Soto and Robert have actually worked out together in the past, which is further incentive for the Mets to make a trade with the White Sox. However, recent reports suggest a Robert trade to the Mets isn’t close. While the team has checked in on his availability, they don’t seem eager to make a move for the player who is in the middle of a slump.

Does a Luis Robert Jr. trade complete the White Sox’s rebuild?

In 2016, the White Sox traded away everyone of note in what was a massive organizational rebuild. The results were a surplus of young prospects and an optimistic future outlook. The rebuild only led to two playoff berths, though, and now the White Sox are blowing things up again.

Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly, Kendall Graveman, Aaron Bummer, Jake Burger, Michael Kopech, Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease, and Garrett Crochet have all been traded over the last two seasons. While the team has held on to Robert in hopes that his trade stock would be revitalized, it has always seemed inevitable that he’d eventually be moved.

His recent injuries, combined with his poor production this season, have tanked his trade stock, and that is far from ideal for the White Sox. For that reason, they might be smart to hold on to him until his numbers improve. However, a Robert trade might be the final step in completing Chicago’s rebuild.

He’s the lone remaining star from the team’s previous rebuild, and even with the poor start to the season, he might still hold more trade value than anybody else on the roster.

Chicago reportedly has interest in Blade Tidwell in the Mets’ farm system. The White Sox have slowly been improving their pitching depth, and Tidwell could be the missing piece. The pitcher is in AAA currently, as is Drew Gilbert, the other prospect Chicago would net in this trade return.

The White Sox are still a long way away from competing, so it makes sense to continue to trade veterans of value for prospects who can help in the future.