Luis Robert Jr. ‘happy' to stay with White Sox after surprise decision to not trade him

New York Times

2 days ago

ANAHEIM, Calif. — White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. said he's happy to still be with Chicago, a day after the organization opted not to trade him before Thursday's deadline.
'You feel like a weight is lifted off your shoulders,' Robert said from the visitors dugout at Angel Stadium. 'I'm relieved, just knowing I'm going to stay here for the rest of the year is something that made me feel very happy.'
Advertisement
Robert was widely expected to be traded, given his contract status and improved play in recent weeks. In order to get anything in return for Robert, the White Sox will now have to pick up his $20 million option for next season.
Chicago does not have many payroll commitments heading into next season — only about $37.2 million, according to FanGraphs — so the plan could be to pick up the option and hope a better season leads to a better return for his services.
Robert has largely struggled this year, posting a .653 OPS over the season, which included a stint on the injured list. But he had been red hot ahead of the deadline, hitting .370 with a 1.040 OPS over his last 13 games. A stretch that could boost his value.
'Maybe it's because I knew there was a possibility to be traded,' Robert said when asked for the root cause of his improved play. And maybe I wanted to expose myself a little bit better, to give this team a better chance to deal, if they wanted to deal me. Or just to stay here. But honestly, I don't know. I can't give you an exact reason.'
Robert has shown superstar potential at the big-league level, most notably in 2023, when he belted 38 home runs and posted 5.3 WAR. He's seen a decline in production over the last two seasons, coinciding with the team's dramatic fall from contention.
White Sox general manager Chris Getz said the interest in Robert didn't match how they valued him and noted they believe he can still be a part of Chicago's future as they work to get back to being more competitive. Robert said he wasn't aware if the White Sox planned to pick up his 2026 option.
'There was an effort to acquire him,' Getz said. 'But certainly it wasn't to the level in which we felt like it could have made sense for us to move on from a talent like Luis Robert.
'What he does defensively, offensively. What he's capable of doing, and certainly on the basepaths, we just love Luis Robert.'
Advertisement
The White Sox enter Friday with 40 wins, just one shy of matching their all-time worst 41-121 record from last season. They're still deep in last place, but young players and a new manager have improved the culture and play of the club.
Robert said he got a round of applause when he walked on the team bus following the deadline. The feeling was mutual, he said. They wanted him there, and he wanted to stay.
'I know that my teammates want me here,' Robert said. 'I'm happy to be there with them. I've been here for a long time now, and I think everybody knows me. Everybody feels comfortable around me. And I feel comfortable around the guys here. I think it's a good match.'