The Mets have received preliminary trade interest in Luis Robert Jr., report Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic. He was reinstated from the 60-day injured list on Monday after missing almost three months due to disc inflammation in his back.
Robert has two weeks to demonstrate his health before the August 3 trade deadline. He was in the starting lineup on Monday and Tuesday. The Mets gave him a rest day this afternoon in Milwaukee, using him as a pinch-hitter. He’s 1-10 with a solo home run and five strikeouts since coming back. Robert has a .211/.306/.337 slash line with a trio of homers across 108 plate appearances on the season.
The Mets clearly haven’t gotten much from their rebound flier on the talented but oft-injured outfielder. New York parted with Luisangel Acuña and pitching prospect Truman Pauley to acquire Robert from the White Sox in January. Acuña is having a rough season and Pauley is struggling to throw strikes in Low-A. The biggest cost for the Mets was their decision to absorb Robert’s $20MM salary and a $2MM buyout on his 2027 club option, which is also valued at $20MM. That came with a 110% tax that made this a $46.2MM investment.
Robert has neither stayed healthy nor bounced back to his 2023 form. He’s a below-average hitter over the past three seasons, batting .222/.290/.368 in almost 1000 plate appearances over that stretch. Robert still has plus-plus bat speed and the tools to be a high-end defensive center fielder. The physical upside intrigued the Mets, but his lack of durability and a propensity for chasing off the plate have kept him only slightly above replacement since his excellent ’23 season.
The Mets are reportedly reluctant to eat money to facilitate trades for their forthcoming deadline sale. They’ll likely need to make an exception on Robert, who’ll be owed close to $8MM through the end of the season (including the buyout). They’re unlikely to find anyone willing to take full freight given the latest injury.
There’s no reason for the Mets to hold him beyond the deadline, though. They’re not going to exercise the 2027 option and don’t have everyday at-bats to offer in an outfield with Juan Soto, Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing and Jorge Polanco working as the primary designated hitter. Interim skipper Andy Green will find ways to get Robert into the lineup for the next couple weeks as a showcase for other clubs.
The Diamondbacks, Astros, Cardinals, Guardians, Orioles, Padres, Rays, and Phillies are among the teams that could be involved in a thin center field market. The Rangers could add a right-handed hitting outfielder. Daulton Varsho should be the top rental center fielder available with the Blue Jays plummeting. Controllable trade candidates at the position include Jake McCarthy, Jacob Young and change of scenery possibilities like Colton Cowser and TJ Friedl.
Robert is one of a number of Mets players who should be on the move in the next 10 days. Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes, A.J. Minter, Tyrone Taylor and Brooks Raley are their other impending free agents. There’s been talk about the Mets potentially extending Holmes or issuing him a qualifying offer instead, but Rosenthal and Sammon report that a trade is still the likelier outcome. Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazobán are among the players under control beyond this season whom the Mets could look to deal.
