The White Sox are bringing Luis Robert Jr. back into the fold for 2026. Jesse Rogers of ESPN reports that the team is exercising its club option over the center fielder. Robert will make $20MM in 2026, rather being paid a $2MM buyout and heading into free agency. The White Sox hold an additional $20MM club option over him for the 2027 season.
This was always the expected course of action once the White Sox opted not to trade Robert at the trade deadline. General manager Chris Getz has only reinforced that thinking in the months since, stating on multiple occasions that he expects the oft-injured center fielder to be a part of his club moving forward.
Two years ago, when the South Siders were in the earlier stages of their rebuild, Robert seemed like a potential big-ticket trade chip. His 2023 campaign was excellent. Robert made the All-Star team, garnered down-the-ballot MVP votes and won a Silver Slugger after raking at a .264/.315/.542 clip with 38 home runs. He also swiped 20 bags in 24 tries and played plus defense in center field.
At that point, the Sox had two guaranteed years remaining on Robert’s $50MM extension, plus a pair of club options. They didn’t deem any offers that offseason sufficient, and Robert was retained heading into the 2024 campaign. The next two years proved to be something of a worst-case scenario. Robert slashed a combined .223/.288/.372 in 856 plate appearances over the past two seasons and endured multiple trips to the injured list, missing time with a hip flexor strain and a pair of hamstring strains.
The hope heading into 2025 was that a healthier season would build trade value for Robert ahead of the deadline. He had perhaps the worst stretch of his career for the season’s first two-plus months but caught fire in early June. That sparked some trade interest, but not to the point that interested teams were willing to part with top-tier prospect talent. The Sox, not wanting to sell low on a player with All-Star, borderline MVP upside, held onto Robert. He posted middling offensive numbers in August before a hamstring strain late in the month ended his season.
Bleak as Robert’s overall season numbers were, he did post a solid .274/.335/.458 batting line (118 wRC+) with nine home runs, a 19.7% strikeout rate and a 7.6% walk rate in his final 198 trips to the plate. That’s a ways off his 2023 peak, but if Robert could manage that level of performance moving forward, he’d be a fine value at his $20MM price tag. Of course, that’s a colossal “if,” given both his frequent trips to the injured list and the awful 658 plate appearances he logged from Opening Day 2024 through early June 2025.
Robert’s name could well come back up in offseason trade chatter, but it’s hard to imagine the Sox moving him after hanging onto him at the deadline. Offers in July apparently weren’t appealing enough to make a move, and Robert’s .256/.287/.409 post-deadline production and subsequent season-ending hamstring strain didn’t do anything to boost his value.
Assuming Robert indeed heads to spring training as the center fielder for the ChiSox, he currently projects to be flanked by veterans Andrew Benintendi and Mike Tauchman. The Sox would love to find a way to move on from the final two years of Benintendi’s ill-fated five-year, $75MM contract, but that’s not likely unless they simply release him. Tauchman, like Robert, wasn’t moved at the deadline — but he’s a 34-year-old veteran coming off a solid enough season that an offseason trade is possible.
If Robert can turn in a big first half next year, it’s feasible that he could still command a notable trade return. There will always be injury concerns, but few center fielders possess such a dynamic set of raw tools. Center field upgrades are in short supply at any point of the calendar, and a $20MM price tag on both his 2026 season and 2027 option will look plenty reasonable if he’s healthy and productive next summer. There are a lot of ifs, and it’s certainly a risk to pick up his option, but the White Sox have virtually no money on the books and can afford to once again roll the dice on him bouncing back, even if it’s arguable that they should’ve taken the best return available in July and moved on entirely.
20MM for a guy with back to back 1.4 bWAR seasons (albeit 100, and 110 games, but still that’s not great) doesn’t seem like a wise investment but what do I know.
Certainly a risk but you aren’t going to spend $18 million in free agency and get a guy with higher upside than Robert.
They thought he could build some trade value in 2024 and didn’t.
Tried again in 2025 and failed.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. Not sure what happens when they get fooled a third time.
If they get fooled a third time, it is of little consequence. The stakes are so low because there is no reasonable scenario where the White Sox compete in 2026.
Admittedly, they are rolling the dice.. but the potential payoff is high and they retain a player with name recognition within their fan base.
Lol upside? He has been bad for two years and cannot stay healthy….you’re baseball stupid
They are riding this runaway dumpster all the way to it’s final destination I guess. I bet it catches on fire then ends up in a lake.
He is 28, competently plays a premium defensive position, and he had an .800 OPS in limited time after the break last year. Despite the shabby offensive season in 2025, he still mashed LHP.
Production risk? Yep. Injury risk? You bet. But the White Sox are in a position to where they can take that risk.. they aren’t competing in 2026.
You are welcome to disagree. Not sure why you cannot do it politely.
He has insane physical tools and was near MVP caliber just two years ago, that’s what upside means.
Ok, when he puts up yet another disappointing season, don’t come crying to me.
I’m not a White Sox fan, I don’t care. But if he does put up yet another disappointing season, so what? They have nothing better to spend the money on right now than to roll the dice and hope for the best.
Because continuously making bad decisions like this is what keeps bad teams bad?
Most likely scenario is he doesn’t regain his value and the White Sox are 20MM poorer and get nothing in return.
There are much better ways to spend 20MM than on LRJ
For them? No there really aren’t any better ways to spend $20M. There’s no player who could be had on a 1 year $20M contract who would actually want to go there with more potential upside than Robert.
Ok hear me out, what if instead of spending the 20MM on one player hoping they can trade him for prospects, they sign a bunch of veterans who can fill in actual holes in their roster and help them win games and build a winning culture?
There’s no combination of players they can get for $20M that make them anything close to a contender. Not by a mile. They are YEARS from contention still. That plan does nothing for them in the long term.
I would say 2028 which isn’t that far away.
Pretty optimistic. Even then, no players you can sign for $20M would still be around by then.
I doubt many would come crying to you about anything. You don’t seem to have that bone in your body.
They’re “years away from contention” because they keep making boneheaded moves like this.
You don’t go from a bad team to a good one overnight. Gotta put in the hard work and build from the ground up.
They won’t magically become a contender by spending only 20MM, but they can start to change the culture.
LRJ isn’t blocking a prospect at CF for the Sox.
If Robert puts up 3 WAR before the deadline they can trade him for value. Not sure what they can get playing it safe by spending that money on more dependable, lower ceiling guys in free agency b
He has put up over 3 bWAR in 2 out of 6 seasons. That doesn’t seem like a smart thing to bet on.
Or possibly a bigger waste of $18M.
They can afford him. It’s just Robert and Benintendi who are getting paid.
At this point what more do they have to lose? The buyout is almost as bad as the contract. In for a penny, In for a pound.
It’s not like they have anything better to do with their extremely ample payroll flexibility. They have no chance of attracting any top free agents and there’s no combination of mid-tier free agents that makes them a contender. So the only thing worth doing with that money is to sign high-upside rebound candidates who they can give the chance to rebuild their value. If Roberts comes anywhere close to his 2023 form, that salary is a bargain and he’ll be worth a solid return at the deadline. And if not, it’s $18M that they would have just spent on filler (if they spent it at all) so who cares.
So just because they have money to spend…. They should waste it?
Maybe if they didn’t waste their money by overpaying guys like Luis Robert Jr, then they would be a more competitive team and could attract better players in free agency.
Yes they should, otherwise the money just goes in Jerry’s pocket never to be seen again. They’re in a top 3 market in the country and they spend like the Rays. They could easily take on another $100M in payroll. But the only thing they have to offer free agents is playing time. So sign high upside rebound candidates, like Robert, and for them a chance to rebuild their value so you can get decent trade value out of them.
ᴅᴏᴇs ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴇᴀɴ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ sᴛɪʟʟ sɪɢɴ ᴀʀʀᴀᴇᴢ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴀʏʟᴏʀ?
No
Lol
We were never signing them. Naylor because he’d be too expensive and Arraez because even he’s too expensive.
White Sox hoping that Robert’s bat comes back to life for a big return in a trade at the 2026 deadline.
If they trade him now it’ll be like a sign and trade in the NBA if you think about it
Even if Roberts has a big first half, teams may be hesitant to offer much for an injury-prone rental at the deadline.
Best bet may be to unload him now, along with cash to cover a big chunk of that $20M. Then the acquiring team could extend a QO at season’s end if he has a breakout year.
He has a ’27 team option. They will not trade him this offseason.
But if you have to pay down his deal, why sign him to it? Bring him back for cheaper. If he declines, use that money on a guy like Grisham. He may not have the ceiling of Robert, but he’s hurt less and is coming off his best year. Robert is constantly injured and has sucked for two years. His only value is as a platoon player / defense-first guy.
I can only guess they exercised the option because they still think if Robert can bring back a return – assuming his cost isn’t too high. They’re trying to buy prospects.
Hoping and wishing does not make it so.
A lot for Jerry to spend on just hope.
Think of it like a lottery ticket.
Exactly fermier. Odds are greatly stacked against you winning.
Non-sense
And this is probably Jerry’s Big spending for the up coming season!
Shhhhh! don’t give him an opportunity to start monologuing about the Benintendi deal again!!!
Almost as bad a decision as Cubs letting Imanaga go. Two crap teams.
Smart move.
Gives the Sox a lot of options.
Getz building a winner. Now get a power hitting first and third basemen.
seems like a big waste of “limited” resources
robert had no market at the trade deadline and didn’t do anything to create a market for himself. they could have easily declined his option and picked him up at a lower salary like they did with carlos rodon a few years ago.
“Limited resources” is a complete lie. They’re in the 3rd biggest market in the country and spend like the Rays. They’re just cheap. They could easily carry a $150-$200M payroll.
They don’t have the local TV deal the Cubs do to fill their coffers plus I doubt that many are knocking down the doors to see the present team.
Sadly, their minor leagues aren’t exactly producing good prospects either. I have had occasion to see some of their lower minor league teams play and can tell you they have a long way to go, especially with pitching.
Sad to see because I remember how the organization used to be.
That’s completely false. Most of their MILB are in AA which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. They have a ton of intriguing arms not named H Smith and Schultz along with some returning from TJ along with the Quero/Teel catching duo. They quietly have a surplus of infielders that aren’t dreadfully far away, though they lack OF talent.
Worse, they’re dumb and cheap. If you’re only going to spend $60M on a roster, don’t give 1/3 of that to a guy who will probably be nursing yet another injury half the time and is unplayable against righties even when he is healthy.
I get the argument about his potential, but we haven’t seen that since 2023. He’s had one good full season.
They keep hoping he can rediscover the magic. The thought they had 2 studs in Roberts and Jimenez. Prospects fail more often then suceed.
As a Chicago sports fan, I’m very relieved.
The White Sox’ choices to tender him last year but keep him at the deadline pretty much already established that the only coherent thing they could be thinking is that a) he might re-tantalize the league in the first half of 2026 with a good performance, and b) that while keeping him into 2026 would be costly and a risky way to spend money, it would compare favorably to other ways they might spend the same money (given their unattractiveness as a destination right now especially) and/or incentivize the Reinsdorfs to spend more out of aversion to losing him for nothing.
So, IMO this decision tends to show that actually they do have a coherent opinion and are consistently acting on it, rather than the old school approach of feeling one way today and another tomorrow, viscerally without thought or plan.
Of course it’s sad that an organization’s fans might have to find that reassuring rather than a paltry minimum that any even amateur observer should easily exceed. But, here we are…
Plus even if he repeats 2025 1.5 war is worth around 12m per year. Plus his defense is worth another .3 or .4 war. Is there surplus value there…no. Could there be next year? Yes. The open spots on this team are LF and RF maybe 1B and bullpen. Go spend another 20m more on those spots. Try for an OF / 1B guy and two more solid BP guys.
Robert taking advatage of one good season that he had. Reminds me of Jake Lamb but on steriods. Pathetic, can’t hit the curve ball to save his life
This guy is going to need a monster first half like we haven’t seen in years too have any real decent trade value if that’s what the Sox are hoping for. Too many injuries to go with up and down numbers. Can’t keep talking about upside with the player unless you see the results leading in the right direction.
This was an easy decision. Sox have no outfield depth above AA ball right now. Tossing Luis would make the hole that much bigger. I hope he can get his head together and play to his potential.
B Monty
Stupid decision. Could sign Grisham for less. Could have brought Robert back for less. Could have signed a placeholder like Mullins for less. This is an absolute waste of $20M.
The White Sox would get a better return on that 20M if they opened their equipment van widow and just threw 100 dollar bills out the window while driving.
The Sox should have taken the best trade deal they received for Robert like 2+ years ago. White Sox “brain trust” are at a casino and cannot leave the table…just throwing more good money after money already lost.
No wonder the White Sox are in the middle of a 10-15 year rebuild with decisions like this.
Baseball 101: If your player is always getting hurt and sent to the IL multiple times each year, most GMs/Managers, with any common sense, would seriously want to move that player out of the more demanding defensive position of CF position permanently and either to a corner OF spot or to 1B/DH known as less demanding physical positions and less suseptical to injuries.
Just keep running Robert out there to CF and keep putting him on the IL multiple times in 2026 and he will keep riding the IL and tanking his trade value even further to that of a case of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and a couple of Chicago style deep dish pizzas,
Is there a wall at Rate Field,formerly known as
Comiskey Park, that the White Sox Manager and GM can take turns banging their noggins against the CF wall or fence in reference to White Sox’s dysfunctional decisions regarding Luis Robert?!
10 year rebuild lol
Om my lord, Sox, what are you even doing?
Amazing what is considered worth $20 million these days.
Beni’s #s were better than Jr’s
Yikes!
Might as well keep him around and hope for a rebound. Not much other salary committments on the books for a rebuilding team.
He isn’t blocking a prospect either.
Sheets and Vaughn having success with other teams, prompted the Sox not to repeat that mistake. An upgraded hitting coach and more protection in the order, should help Robert bounce back.
Why? I refuse to follow this team while idiots run the front office and a miser of an owner refuses to sell to someone who wants to win
JR will sell his controlling stake to J Ishbia at minimum 2029.