Apart from Garrett Crochet, Luis Robert Jr. is the biggest trade chip the White Sox have on offer as the club looks to continue its rebuilding process. Though 2024 was another injury-marred season for Robert, Sox GM Chris Getz told the Chicago Sun-Times’ Daryl Van Schouwen (multiple links) and other reporters that his team has “gotten a lot of interest” in Robert’s services during the Winter Meetings. The Reds appear to be one of those interested parties, as Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the Ohio team has “at least checked in on Robert.”
It’s no secret that Getz is asking for a lot in return for Robert, and the general manager defended his stance by saying that the White Sox are looking for a trade package commensurate to “the talent that he brings to the table” since Robert’s “tools haven’t changed.”
“Obviously, the injury last year was disruptive to [Robert’s] production, but the reason there’s so much interest is because maybe a team feels like they can capture something that perhaps didn’t show up last year,” Getz said.
Cincinnati is an interesting potential trade partner because the Reds also have a lot of high-ceiling younger players coming off disappointing 2024 seasons. The Reds went 82-80 in 2023 and went into last season looking to make a step forward into contention, but instead fell back to 77 wins because Elly De La Cruz and Tyler Stephenson were basically the only members of the team’s younger core that met expectations. Whether due to injuries or just plain under-performance, players like Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, Noelvi Marte, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand now head into the coming season with plenty left to prove about their building-block status.
Speculatively, working out a trade package involving Robert and at least one of these players could help offset some of the concerns the Reds might have about Robert’s long-term health. Granted, Getz isn’t likely to sell low on Robert unless he absolutely has to, but taking on a player in a trade package that is also a bit of a question mark doesn’t seem like an unreasonable approach on the Reds’ part. Just as Getz can argue that Robert’s underlying talent is the key factor in trade talks, Cincinnati might take that same argument in regards to any of its potential trade chips.
The outfield is known to be a target area for the Reds, and Robert would address that need in a big way. With Robert stepping in as new regular center fielder, TJ Friedl could be shifted to left field, if Steer is subsequently moved back to the infield. There are plenty of ways manager Terry Francona could juggle his lineup around Robert as one of the everyday cornerstones, and if another injury did arise, Friedl, Will Benson, or Stuart Fairchild would presumably still be on hand to step back into center field.
Part of Robert’s trade value is tied to his contract, which is a bargain if the outfielder is as healthy and productive as he was in his All-Star 2023 season. Robert is set to earn $15MM in 2025, and the White Sox have a pair of $20MM club options (with $2MM buyouts) for both the 2026 and 2027 seasons. While not huge money by superstar standards, the Reds’ trade efforts could be complicated if the team is indeed operating within very limited payroll parameters.
Ownership might be willing to allot more money to the Reds’ payroll in the special circumstance of a Robert trade coming to fruition, or another creative answer could be explored. From Chicago’s perspective, Getz is open to ideas, noting that the White Sox have had some talks about three-team trades (presumably involving Robert or Crochet). “If that’s the best way to acquire the talent for your organization, you do it,” Getz said.
I can see the interest, but would be surprised they take on that contract given the way they operate lately.
Candelario matches Robert salary. Send them arroyo, Sal Stewart, petty and candy man. How they going to get a better offer than that ?
Then go get fatty from the guardians.
Bat de La Cruz 2 robertt 3 and Naylor 4. Move Lodolo to the pen.
That’s the best reds Lineup and roster in a long long time !
Naylor is less likely to get moved now. The Guards were trying to unload salary, which they did with the Gimenez move. They got back a young cheap first baseman who could have replaced Naylor and they immediately flipped him. If they were going to trade Naylor, it would have seemed like they would have kept Horowitz.
I don’t agree with that. Savvy teams like the guardians have a value placed on Naylor that includes factors like salary, forecast production, years control and other intangibles. Then if a team offers more than that set value in prospects or financial compensation- the Indians will trade. 6 years control of a mid/back high floor rotation piece is still worth more than Naylor or Thomas. Guardians aren’t all in bc they won the central last year. It’s always a long term plan with them. And their last years success has little to do w next years planning
But then why move out a cost controlled useful 1b/DH you just got who was an obvious cheap replacement for Naylor?
I totally agree that Cleveland always ship guys out and Naylor seems like an obvious trade candidate, but why get rid of Horwitz? A Manzardo/Horwitz tandem at 1b/DH made sense.
Because they valued the return higher. Also, they probably think they already have other 1B/Dh options in house. Or can pick up one cheap.
Due to that same principle. They valued the 3 prospects they got in return more so that Horowitz. Cleveland also had that deal worked out prior to Toronto trade. I like the trade for all 3 clubs but it was an A+ trade for guardians imo
CLE heavily leans on pitching and run prevention.
It is what the know and do best.
It seems they will always (or at least for the foreseeable future) sacrifice offense for pitching.
They did need reinforcements in their starters and relievers. Injuries like Bieber (now coming back) and Mackenzie
Oof
That would be a wild overpay. No way I’d do that if I’m the Reds.
Maybe, but all players they could afford to let go with the depth they have. Might be in more than one deal. You have to give something to get something, after all.
The bulk of the the deal is getting them to take candelario. Dude is owed 30 mil and allegedly can’t play D
No allegedly about it. He equally butchers third and first, as we saw last year.
Really bad signing. Pagan the same. 23 million down the drain. Not good for a small market team.
Even 2 of Arroyo, Stewart and Petty is an overpay for a player who’s very likely to have his $20M club option declined after one season. Hard pass if I’m the Reds. Cincy can surely find another team to take most of Candelario’s contract without giving up any prospects.
Reinsdorf won’t take on a significant value contract for sake of getting a better prospect return.
Anyone who acquires Robert does it with the full expectation to activate both team options. He’s easily worth 20 mil healthy
How else are they going to get prospect capital for Robert ? They missed their window for that last offseason
No way in hell would I include Arroyo in this deal. You’re trading THREE top prospects for a guy who’s only played more than 100 games in a season once. And who was replacement level last year. Arroyo is your SS of the future when EDLC eventually leaves.
A reasonable offer is Petty and Marte. Don’t include Candelario, he just forces you to include more talent in the deal.
Key word with Robert is healthy.
cwsoverhaul: Robert to the Reds would hopefully be the player that gets the Reds into the PO. He’s worth the money when healthy. And don’t worry about getting rid of a key player, Reds fans. getz is a sucker for low level players with no hope of developing into useful major Leaguers.
Alan: A change of scenery and a competent training staff will hopefully alleviate those concerns.
The Reds signing Candelario for that price was a head scratcher – but the Cubs trading D J Herz for a month of Candelario, isn’t any better.
Reds do not have a competent training staff
Marte is a steroid user who came off suspension and didn’t play well. That’s too risky.
What is he holding in the picture? Is it a rifle?
And last season wasn’t the only injury-prone season for Robert. He’s had almost ever imaginable injury a human can have. He could be another Buxton.
Frustrating part about being a Reds fan is knowing that if they traded for Robert and signed Pete Alonso, they would be an ACTUALLY competitive baseball team, with a low-to-mid payroll, and a bright future of young, cheap talent, and there’s still almost no chance they do those two very easy things.
Instead, they will sign budget players usually signed by the Nationals, Pirates, As, and Royals, and hope they hit the lottery.
Friedl, LF (L)
McLain, 2B (R)
Elly, SS (S)
Robert, CF (R)
Alonso, 1B (R)
Jeimar, 3B (S)
Steer, DH (R)
Stephenson, C (R)
Benson, RF (L)
Greene
Lodolo
Singer
Abbott
Lowder
$140-150M payroll and a legit competitive team
India talked about how good Alonso would look in their lineup last year, and look where he is now. They don’t like their players pointing out the obvious.
That’s very well said. The team is basically content with an “if everything goes perfectly we could backdoor our way into the playoffs” approach while waiting endlessly for the next golden generation of prospect development to hit. We all know how unlikely either of those scenarios is, but our ownership has blatantly thrown in our faces that there’s nothing we can or will do about it as fans. Just keep hoping.
Joser: If you look at the NLC, no one is a big spender. That leaves the division wide open. After all, Skenes can’t pitch every day.
I get that baseball is a different animal than other sports. If you can just get into the postseason, anything is possible. Still, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that our goal should be more than “puncher’s chance to win a bad division”. This team has a clear path to division favorite status and just refuses to spend even average money consistently. They also gaslight us fans into thinking we’re the problem for having any expectations.
You leave in a dreamland homer world to think the Reds would win the free agent derby for Pete Alonso. He has a say in where he goes and sorry cincy you aren’t the ideal contender destination.
He would hit 60 homers a year in that park.
He’s going to go to the team that pays him the most money. It won’t be the Reds, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be the Reds.
Would like to see Stewart as headliner and a couple less heralded prospects scouts like. Get an impressive return for Crochet, but don’t be greedy on Robert!
His value is the middle between ’23 breakout and ’24 disinterest/IL concerns.
Why not? If anything the Sox need to hold the line on Robert and if the deal isn’t there – hope he explodes this year and deal him at the trade deadline.
cwsoverhaul: If you played for the Sox, would you be interested? The only thing of interest about them last year was 121. Without Crochet and Robert, look out 134!
That’s a number Wade Boggs can get behind.
I don’t see Robert’s contract stopping the Reds from making this trade. $15MM for 2025 is a bargain price for an outfield upgrade. And team options for both 26 and 27 (at $20MM per year) would work in the Reds payroll. It’s about his health and the acquisition cost in prospects. I’d offer Marte, maybe CES, but not Stewart, Collier, Arroyo, or any of the Reds top pitching.
Blocking everyone who is potentially good with no service time burned is a non-starter. Marte is a declining prospect who got busted for PEDs, while CES doesn’t play a premium position or help a team in complete tear down.
Yeah White Sox want legit prospects not Marte and Strand
This offer is much more reasonable for a guy who has only played more than 100 games ONCE in his five seasons. And Robert’s OPS+ last season was an anemic 87. The man can’t stay healthy and he has a lot of swing and miss/chase in his game.
I’d offer a package like Marte and Petty. The WS get to shed his salary and get 11 years of control on return on two top prospects.
earmbrister: Power hitters usually have high K rates and relatively low averages. I would’ve posted this on the Jake Burger story but, as with most White Sox stories, “a network error has occured…
I get the high K proclivities of power hitters. However, it’s still a minor consideration (and thus was mentioned last).
Robert has a load of talent yet he has only put together ONE full great season. 2024 was more of the same: he missed about 40% of the games. And his OPS+ for the year was a very pedestrian 87. Frankly, I haven’t followed him enough to know whether nagging injuries hampered his performance when he was able to play.
How much are you going to give up for a boom or bust guy who can’t stay on the field?
Worth reminding folks that the last 3 team trade the Sox pulled off was the one where the Sox got literally nothing back from StL in exchange for Fedde and Pham…and were widely panned by baseball industry folks, analysts, and journalists.
soxygen: Don’t forget Kopech, who went to the LAD and earned a ring. And what did we get in return for three players? The worst defensive and offensive third baseman in the game. I can still hear Friedman laughing over that one.
What was widely panned was the Dodgers end of the deal not the White Sox. Vargas is a legit prospect.
Benson, Marte, and Fairchild need some AAA refreshers. After that, we’ll see if they can make the adjustments necessary to be productive big leaguers.
Marte may benefit from another AAA stint, not so sure about Benson or Fairchild.
Getz is a fool.
Yankees need a third baseman. Trade them Candelario for a song, one verse, no frills. Then use that money saved wisely to add.
Sure why not. Suffer through rebuilding years to get young talent, and once you get it, give up on it and trade it away for declining over priced pieces other teams want to dump, for your young pieces. Has success written all over it.
Luis Robert is entering his prime. I have no idea what you are talking about.
You need to add some vets to fill holes in your organization. If you don’t, you might as well give up on making the postseason.
You have seen that the last two teams they built and dismantled after a lack of success.
The Reds management team and ownership are an example of Einstein’s definition of insanity.
Exactly. What’s the true alternative? We have to stop pretending that the Rays or Indians model is so easy to replicate. Hoarding prospects and hoping they pan out rarely equates to the “sustainable success” model that we are being sold on. There are more perennial losing Pirates, Royals, and Reds type organizations than there are success stories. We need to spend to win when we have that chance.
I would think the Reds would have to give up either Steer or McClain + some prospects to get Robert. I am willing to say Steer is better than Robert.
Then they won’t get him. Neither one is going anywhere for another four years, them they will sell everyone like 2022.
If Chisox ask for Steer or McLain the trade is dead on arrival. I’m willing to take a flier on Robert with his health history and take on his salary but not gut the team for him.
Yeah. McLain and Steer have got to be untouchable.
…and Petty is close.
If the reds ever wanted dangle mcclain youd have 29 teams lining up that dude should be as untouchable as it gets especially with tito dropping a pedroia comp on him
Just wait- Getz will panic and trade Robert and Crochet for life time minor league players and some food vendors. This guy and team are a joke. Build on these 2 young players and get some coaching that knows what they are doing.
Orioles have the prospects to trade for both…now whether or not that they want to do it or not….that is up to them….but they could do it….if they wanted
I get that injuries occur. That comes with the occupation. But Robert is made of glass. He isn’t someone you can say “Okay, there’s our guy for 158 games next season” which is unfortunate because, talent-wise, I’d trade for him in a second.
I am a Reds fan, and I’m well aware they need and outfielder, but I do not like this..
I don’t think the 2 teams line up well for a trade. The White Sox need outfielders and a 1b and the Reds don’t have those.
Bottom line, he’s not getting sold cheap. Either a team pays for the healthy Robert now or they hold on to him until a time into the 25′ season when he’s playing well.
Not selling him at a discounted time.
Robert is healthy now? He needs to be healthy during the baseball season, and that’s a rarity for him.
Probably best to keep him and hope he’s healthy and producing heading into the trade deadline. Of course that’s risking he’s not, and they just end up eating his full 2025 salary and option buyout with nothing in return.