The Mets have cleared the deck by shipping Jeff McNeil to Oakland, but the resulting vacancy in the outfield has turned a need into a desperate emergency. With only superstar Juan Soto and fourth-outfielder Tyrone Taylor currently projected to handle the grass, President of Baseball Operations David Stearns is scouring the trade market for reinforcements.
Reports indicate that the Mets are still firmly in the mix for Chicago White Sox centerfielder Luis Robert Jr., a player who represents the ultimate high-risk, high-reward gamble. While his athleticism and defensive pedigree are undeniable, the metrics suggest that acquiring him might be less about landing a superstar and more about paying a premium for a glorified platoon player.
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A Defensive Wizard with a Splintered Bat
The primary allure of Robert Jr. remains his glove, which is capable of winning Gold Gloves and covering the vast gaps of Citi Field with ease.
However, his offensive profile has devolved into a frightening split that makes him nearly unplayable against right-handed pitching. According to his 2025 splits, Robert Jr. was a liability against righties, batting just .211 with only eight home runs across 289 at-bats. His power completely evaporated in these matchups, and his swing-and-miss issues were magnified, racking up 90 strikeouts and looking lost at the plate for long stretches of the season.
crushing Lefties Is Not Enough
Where Robert Jr. salvages his value is against southpaws, where he transforms into the slugger the White Sox thought they were extending years ago.
In 2025, he posted a solid .258 batting average against left-handed pitchers, launching six home runs in just 93 at-bats. That equates to a home run roughly every 15 at-bats, a pace that would make him an elite weapon if he could sustain it. The problem is that the majority of pitchers in MLB are right-handed, meaning the Mets would be acquiring a “part-time” offensive contributor who essentially disappears for 70% of the game.
The Reds Are Lurking in the Shadows
To complicate matters, the Mets are not the only team trying to salvage Robert Jr.’s career. MLB insider Francys Romero reports that the Cincinnati Reds are also aggressively pursuing the outfielder, potentially driving up the price for a distressed asset. A bidding war for a player with an 84 wRC+ over the last two seasons is a dangerous game, especially when the winner inherits the remainder of his hefty contract.
One Piece of a Larger Puzzle
If the Mets do pull the trigger on a trade for Robert Jr., it cannot be the only move they make to shore up the outfield. Relying on him to be an everyday savior next to Soto is a recipe for disaster given his injury history and inability to hit righties. He makes sense only as part of a tandem—perhaps paired with a left-handed bat who can handle the heavy side of a platoon—but treating him as a standalone solution would be a massive miscalculation by the front office.