Luis Robert Jr. trade could have White Sox's biggest addition feeling some regret

The Luis Robert Jr. trade saga is finally, mercifully at an end, as the Chicago White Sox finally convinced another MLB team to take on the center fielder's full $20 million salary.

The return wasn't half bad, either, though it's clear that the Pale Hose easily could have gotten more had they moved Robert earlier in their rebuild. Alas, fans will have to settle for minor-league pitcher Truman Pauley and former Top-100 prospect Luisangel Acuña.

Barring a post-hype breakout from Acuña in 2026, this deal does dramatically lower the White So ceiling this season, though Robert's peak form hasn't been seen for a couple of years. If his 84 wRC+ over the past two campaigns is more indicative of the player he is now, then perhaps it was simply time to move on, even for a less-than-ideal return.

That being said, the White Sox are sort of on the clock right now thanks to the presence of Munetaka Murakami. The NPB star shocked the MLB world and signed a two-year deal with the team in free agency, though he likely didn't do so with the intention of losing 100+ games as Chicago has done in each of the past three seasons.

With one of the few All-Stars on the roster now shipped off to the Big Apple, is it possible that Murakami is now feeling some regret over his decision? Short answer: Probably not. Murakami acknowledged the White Sox recent history of failure during his indroductory press conference, and certainly knew about the situation regarding Robert before agreeing to the deal.

Munetaka Murakami can lead White Sox back to relevance

There's no denying that Robert has been the face of the franchise for the better part of the last half-decade, but that's been a rather dubious distinction for a few years given the White Sox general ineptitude. If anything, moving on from the 2023 All-Star is a conclusion to the competitive era that wasn't.

Murakami may find lineup protection at a premium without Robert, but in truth, these rumors had persisted for some time. It was nearly inevitable that a trade was going to happen, and perhaps it was Murakami's deal — one that comes with a $17 million annual salary in 2026 and 2027 — that pushed the front office to finally offload Robert's onerous contract. Murakami has made clear that he's excited to be a part of the young White Sox core and grow with them. Robert never fit into that category.

With Robert gone, the focus can turn to the NPB triple-crown winner and the White Sox other young stars, including Kyle Teel, Colson Montgomery, and even Acuña. There's a young, talented core to build around here, and the trade of Robert only further improves upon that reality.

Had Murakami been hoping for immediate results, he likely would have signed elsewhere. That's a painful truth, but the White Sox have a long road back to playoff contention — one that's only gotten longer without Robert. But improvements should be expected in 2026, and with a few more breakouts from young players, it's possible that the Pale Hose can enter a new window of relevance... this time with Murakami as the face of the franchise.