The New York Mets could be on the hunt for outfielders at the trade deadline. They could target a former All-Star on a struggling team to help gear up for a postseason run.
Luis Robert Jr. signed a $50 million deal before even making his MLB debut. He has dealt with injuries in his career, but in 2023, he showed what he can do when healthy. He was an All-Star and hit 38 home runs.
However, he struggled last season and has struggled this year as well. He has just a .636 OPS on the year, so why would any contender trade for him? Well, perhaps they think his struggles have to do a lot with playing on the Chicago White Sox and having no protection in the lineup, or they still believe in his potential.
The Mets could use a centerfielder, allowing Jeff McNeil to stay at second base full-time. Tyrone Taylor has not gotten the job done offensively, and Sports Illustrated’s Will Laws and Nick Selbe predicted the Mets would trade for Robert. He has $20 million club options for the next two years.
“Robert’s production at the plate has rapidly diminished since winning a Silver Slugger in 2023 to the point where he’s barely valued as a replacement-level player even with his stellar baserunning and glovework in center field,” wrote Sports Illustrated. “A pair of $20 million club options for 2026 and ’27 that were once seen as potential bargains are now highly unlikely to be exercised.”
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His overall numbers this season do not seem like those of a player who can help a contender. However, this month he is heating up, showing perhaps he can still be the player he was expected to be. He is slashing .345/.441/.586 since the calendar flipped to July. If he can keep playing like this, he could be a great player for the Mets, and perhaps even make them think about picking up his option.
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