MLB News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Aug 9, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) gestures as he circles the bases on a two run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Pirates Should Go After Mets Outfielder

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Aug 30, 2026 10:09 AM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates need offensive help for the rest of 2026, and one veteran could provide that.

The New York Mets placed outfielder Luis Robert Jr. on outright waivers on Aug. 29, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, as they look to save some money before the end of the season. New York placing Robert on outright waivers makes him available for the other 29 MLB teams to claim over the next 48 hours.

Robert will stay with the Mets if no other team takes on his contract, but the Pirates would do right to at least consider adding him to the team.

Why the Pirates Should Claim Robert Off of Waivers

The Pirates showed interest in Robert during the offseason as a trade candidate, before the Mets landed him in a trade with the Chicago White Sox.

Robert was a desirable option for the Pirates, a right-handed power bat who could man center field, bolstering the lineup on both offense and defense.

The 29-year-old has hit just .228/.308/.407 for an OPS of .715, which isn't incredible numbers off the jump, but it marks his first season with an OPS above .700 since 2023.

Robert is also hitting much better following the All-Star break: .231/.293/.471 with an OPS of .764, 100 points higher than before the All-Star break at .656.

This improvement coincided with his return from a lumbar spine disc herniation, which placed him on the injured list in late April and didn't have him come back until July 20.

Robert is also solid against left-handed pitching, batting .218/.295/.436 with an OPS of .731, including four home runs, with one of those home runs coming off of Pirates rookie southpaw Hunter Barco for a three-run walk-off home run in the 11th inning of the 4-2 victory at Citi Field on March 28 for the Mets.

The Pirates need better options against left-handed pitching, with a 13-30 record when they start and 5-13 since the All-Star break.

Robert has a history of power, with seven straight seasons of double-digit home run totals and his 38 home runs in 2023, earning his sole All-Star nod and Silver Slugger Award.

Will the Pirates Actually Go After Robert?

Teams interested in claiming Robert off of outright waivers must pay a little more than $5 million for his services.

This includes the $3 million owed on his 2026 contract and also $2 million for a buyout of his 2027 option, listed at $20 million, and something the Mets have little interest in exercising.

The Pirates are 66-71 and 6.5 games back from the final National League Wild Card spot with 25 games remaining, so if they want to seriously aim for the postseason, they need to make some decisions.

It's likely the Pirates don't add Robert, as most teams probably won't want to pay $3 million for him, due to his injury history and lack of success at the plate since 2023.

The Cincinnati Reds placed both third baseman Eugenio Suárez and center fielder TJ Freidl on outright waivers recently, and no MLB team claimed them. That provides two other potential offensive boosts for the Pirates to pick up for the stretch run.

Robert won't solve all the offensive problems the Pirates have at this moment, but he could come as a good option down the stretch for a team still fighting for the postseason.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: