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On Jan. 20, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported, citing sources, that the New York Mets have reached an agreement on a trade to acquire center fielder Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox.
Moreover, the outlet also revealed that Chicago will receive infielder Luisangel Acuna and right-handed pitcher Truman Pauley in the trade. The addition of the sporadic Robert could mean that the Mets are out on free-agent hitter Cody Bellinger, which is good news for the New York Yankees.
On the Jan. 20 edition of SNY’s “SportsNite,” Sal Licata believes that the addition of Robert allows for the Mets to put any money that they were planning to use on Bellinger toward their starting rotation.
“I love it for multiple reasons,” Licata said. “No. 1: The Mets finally have a legitimate, at least defensive, centerfielder, a proven big leaguer. He strikes out a ton. Offensive numbers are not what you want. A few years ago, he had 38 homers. That’s not the norm. Forget about that.
“But at least they have a major leaguer with potential in center field, takes them, I would think, out of the mix for Bellinger. They’re not going to spend that money there, which makes me think they’re going to spend the money in the starting rotation, which I think they need more. I love this move.”
Mets Could Pivot to Starting Pitching Help
Additionally, John Jastremski believes the Bellinger-to-the-Mets move might be taking a hit with this trade. Jastremski also echoes Licata that New York are best served using their funds to bolster their rotation.
“Pitching needed to be their priority,” Jastremski added. “It’s the reason why they choked and yucked up a playoff spot a year ago. Now they have their center fielder. There’s not nearly the same sense of urgency for Cody Bellinger, and they can go attack the task at hand, which is improving this pitching staff.”
Luis Robert Jr. Brings Red Flags to the Mets for 2026 Season
The trade follows just four days after the Mets secured former Toronto Blue Jays star Bo Bichette with a three-year, $126 million contract. Nonetheless, Robert struggled at the plate last season, hitting a career-low .223, but he still managed 14 home runs and set a personal best with 33 stolen bases.
A six-year veteran, he was an All-Star in 2023 after hitting 38 home runs and driving in 80 RBIs for the White Sox. He also earned a Gold Glove in 2020. As a result, Jastremski didn’t brush off the red flags that this move for the Mets has.
“It’s filling a need, there’s no question about it,” Jastremski added. “Now, a couple of years ago, if you had told me that Luis Robert was going to be a New York Met, you’d be like jumping for joy. This guy is an all-star player. He had 35-plus home runs for the Chicago White Sox.
“But outside of that 2023 season, he’s never lived up to the potential, whether it’s offensive struggles. You mentioned the idea of striking out too much. Durability is also a concern, too. This is a guy who I want to play more baseball.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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