The Mets have placed outfielder Luis Robert Jr. on outright waivers, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. The league’s other 29 teams have 48 hours to claim Robert, who is eligible to continue playing for the Mets during the process.
The Reds took the same tack earlier this week with third baseman Eugenio Suárez and outfielder TJ Friedl, though they remain with the team after going unclaimed. The same fate may await Robert, who is still owed about $4.89MM (including a $2MM offseason buyout). A claiming team would take on all that money, leaving the out-of-contention Mets with some salary relief. The club would also save 110% in luxury taxes (an additional $5.4MM), as MLBTR’s Anthony Franco noted in a piece identifying Robert as a candidate to hit waivers.
Robert, who debuted as a prized prospect in 2020, opened his career with the White Sox and put together a few quality seasons. He made his lone All-Star team in 2023, a year in which he slashed .264/.315/.542 (129 wRC+) with 38 home runs, 20 stolen bases and 5.0 fWAR over 595 plate appearances. Robert struggled to stay healthy from 2024-25, however, and his offensive production plummeted.
The White Sox cut the cord on Robert when they traded him to the Mets last winter. New York made that move (and several others) with the belief it would contend for a World Series this year, but the team got off to a horrid start and never recovered. Now 60-75, the Mets are a dozen games out of a Wild Card spot with a month left in the season.
Then sitting a miserable 10-20, the Mets placed Robert on the IL with lumbar disc herniation on April 30. Robert did not return until July 20, which gave the Mets two weeks to find a taker before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. They received little interest, however, and were unable to find a trade partner.
Robert was hitting a woeful .197/.290/.320 when deadline day rolled around, but he has produced more like his All-Star self since then. The 29-year-old has hit an excellent .286/.342/.557 (143 wRC+) over 79 plate appearances in August. Thanks to his hot streak this month, he owns a league-average line of .228/.308/.407 with 10 homers in 214 PA this season.
Robert has only stolen two bases, but he continues to possess 90th-percentile sprint speed. The athleticism has helped the one-time Gold Glover continue to earn passing grades in the field this year. Over 46 games and 382 1/3 innings in center, Robert has been credited with 2 Fielding Run Value, 1 Defensive Runs Saved and a neutral Outs Above Average mark.
More to come…
