Luis Robert Jr. is headed to New York.
The Mets struck a deal to acquire the center fielder on Tuesday night, the team announced, finally pulling off a move they were reportedly interested in at the trade deadline months ago. In exchange, the Chicago White Sox will receive infielder Luisangel Acuña and right-hander Truman Pauley.
Robert just finished his sixth season with the White Sox last fall. He held a .223 batting average with 14 home runs and 53 RBIs, though he missed time late in the season due to a hamstring injury. Robert was an All-Star and a Silver Slugger during the 2023 campaign, too.
While he’s struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, Robert can be a very solid defensive piece for the Mets. He’s also coming off a season in which he put up a career-high 33 stolen bases. The White Sox picked up Robert’s $20 million option for the 2026 season, and he has another $20 million option with a $2 million buyout for the 2027 season, too.
Acuña held a .234 batting average with eight RBIs in 95 games last season, his second in the league. Pauley spent time with the Mets’ minor league teams last season, and has yet to make his big league debut. The White Sox went just 60-102 last season, which marked their third straight year losing at least 100 games. They had the worst record in modern MLB history during the 2024 campaign, too.
The move to bring Robert in is one of several that the Mets have made in recent days. Most notably, the Mets reached a three-year, $126 million deal with former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette. The team went 83-79 last season and missed the playoffs in the second season under manager Carlos Mendoza.
While it will take more than Robert’s arrival to get the Mets back into the postseason, he is undoubtedly another solid piece for the franchise.
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