There was a time, maybe three years ago, when this would have been seriously gigantic news. Back in 2023, Luis Robert Jr. hit 38 HRs en route to a 4.9 WAR season as a 25-year-old center fielder, just a few successful seasons into a six-year, $50M deal with the White Sox. A budding star in Chicago for a team with slowly decaying, but still lofty hopes. But things have fallen sufficiently far the last two years for both the White Sox and Luis Robert Jr. (just 210 games combined, 84 wRC+, 1.3 WAR total) that this is little more than an interesting trade on a Tuesday night.
In fact, the biggest point of interest here might actually be what this means for a totally different player and team. But we’ll get to that in a second.
Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets
First, the details.
According to Jeff Passan, the New York Mets are tonight acquiring Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox in exchange for 23-year-old infielder Luisangel Acuña (yes, it’s Ronald’s brother) and 2025 12th-round right-hander Truman Pauley.
Acuña, 23, is a former top-100 prospect who came to the Mets in the Max Scherzer trade and made his debut in 2024. He hasn’t really broken through yet, but there’s hope there. In the meantime, he can contribute with his legs (he’s a base stealer) and defense.
Luisangel Acuña became the first player to hit four home runs in a Venezuelan winter league game pic.twitter.com/j63tYPL7rS
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) January 21, 2026Pauley was the 373rd overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Luis Robert Jr. will make $20 million this season and comes with a $20M club option ($2M buyout) for 2027.
© Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesThis trade doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as the White Sox have been dangling Luis Robert Jr. for years and will presumably save some real money in this deal. But it is notable for the Mets, who’ve otherwise been characterized as one of the two most likely landing spots for free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger.
And seeing as the rumors all day were about an impending Cody Bellinger decision, this trade for a center fielder, while not a perfect 1-to-1 for Bellinger, sure seems like a sign that Bellinger may have made his decision (spelling it out: maybe he’s re-signing with the Yankees after all).
There are reportedly two other suitors for Bellinger, and trading for Robert doesn’t HAVE to mean the Mets are out, but that’s my guess on what’s going on here. I suppose we’ll find out soon.
In the meantime, this does feel a bit era-ending for the White Sox. I know that team has been gone for a while, but Luis Robert Jr. was a big part of it. So to see him traded just kinda feels like the official/final page turn on a mini-era of White Sox baseball.
Up According to Jon Heyman, the Mets are taking on all of the money in this deal ($20M for this year and the $2M buyout for 2027, if needed).
Mets will pay the $22M guarantee left. $20M 2026 salary plus $2M buyout on $20M 2027 option t.co/NaIS0EGDms
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 21, 2026I don’t really know enough about Truman Pauley to have a big take on this trade, but I do know two things: (1) Luis Robert Jr. does have a lot of upside as a clear change-of-scenery candidate, and (2) I think the White Sox were considering declining the club option when the winter began anyway, so this is a clear win for them (they just turned that potential $2M writeoff into a couple of interesting young players). Seems like a good deal for them.
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