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Phillies Get Tough News on Trade for Luis Robert Jr. From Mariners

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jacob Mountz | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 9:10 PM ET

The 2025 MLB season has been good for the Philadelphia Phillies, who sit squarely within the wild card picture, but very bad for their outfield. Every outfielder in Philly besides Nick Castellanos has disappointed at the plate; however, their abysmal defense has been even worse, combining to post -11 outs above average, third worst in the game.

As such, the outfield has been one area of concern that Dave Dombrowski aims to fix, and he may already have a suitable target. According to MLB insider Francys Romero, the Phillies are expected to be in the mix for White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. Romero posted this message on X:

“Luis Robert Jr. continues to draw attention as a potential trade piece. Teams like the Yankees, Mariners, and Phillies are expected to be in the conversation ahead of the trade deadline, according to industry sources.”

Luis Robert Jr. hasn’t been the offensive lightning rod he has shown a tendency to be in the past, but the potential is still there. Not to mention, his Gold Glove defense would be a massive upgrade in centerfield.

The Yankees are a more surprising bidder as their outfield is already packed. The Mariners, on the other hand, are a great fit. For the past several years, Seattle hasn’t been one to splurge on a top-of-the-line bat, as evinced by the Mariners’ lineup. Yet, with Robert’s lowly stat line, this could be the perfect buy-low opportunity.

If it does come to a full-blown trade war, it would be interesting to see how far each team would go given Robert’s struggles. Seattle has one of the deepest farm systems in the game, boasting nine top 100 prospects. The Phillies have just four, and it’s more than unlikely they’ll dangle Andrew Painter for any trade candidate, especially with Robert slumping.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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