Luis Robert Jr.’s status was one of the biggest question marks surrounding the White Sox organization this past offseason. Unlike the relatively straightforward decision to trade Garrett Crochet coming off a career year, Robert Jr. had the worst season of his career in 2024. He suffered a significant hip injury in early April and his on-field production tanked. There was some debate whether the White Sox were better off cutting their losses and trading him this offseason or keeping him into spring training in hopes that he would rebuild his value. The White Sox chose the latter, and if the early results are any indication, they made the right choice.
Robert Jr.’s Hot Start This Spring
Robert Jr. is scorching hot offensively so far this spring. The 27-year-old is hitting a robust .429 with a 1.429 OPS with a double and two home runs in six games. He also has just four strikeouts in 16 plate appearances and his whiff% this spring is well below his career numbers. He looks like a far different hitter right now than the injury-plagued 2024 version of himself in which he had a career-high 33.2 K%. One must take small spring training sample sizes with a grain of salt, but Robert Jr. looks excellent early on. And most importantly, he appears to be healthy.
Swirling Trade Rumors
Even after a career-worst 2024 season, Robert Jr. was the subject of trade rumors all winter. The Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, and Seattle Mariners were just some of the many teams linked to him over the past few months. However, nobody met White Sox GM Chris Getz’s asking price this offseason per Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Robert Jr. acknowledged that he was well aware of these trade rumors but recently stated that he isn’t paying attention to them and that they are out of his control.
Robert Jr. On The Dylan Cease Path?
There is precedence to how the White Sox are handling Robert Jr. amid the trade speculation. The team operated similarly last year when they did not trade Dylan Cease in the 2023 offseason and elected to keep him into 2024 spring training. Cease performed well in a couple of spring starts with the White Sox before being traded to the San Diego Padres for a four-player package in mid-March. Robert Jr. could be on a similar trajectory. Injuries and underperformance are challenges every team faces in the spring, and it takes just one suitor to finally meet the White Sox asking price. The team now has six top 100 prospects per MLB.com’s list following the trade of Garrett Crochet. Trading away Robert Jr. would undoubtedly net them at least one or two more and is a logical avenue to expedite the team’s new rebuild.
Luis Robert Jr.’s Uncertain Future In Chicago
One of the last remnants of the White Sox old core, Luis Robert Jr. has had the spotlight on him for months. He is easily the team’s best-remaining trade chip, and many were curious to see how he would look this spring after a disappointing 2024 season. The early results are promising. He looks to be healthy and productive. Whether he will be traded by Opening Day remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Luis Robert Jr. looks excellent this spring. That is a welcome sight for the White Sox.
