White Sox fans know all too well the reality of employing Luis Robert Jr. on your roster. Robert is one of the most physically talented players in all of baseball. He’s a true five-tool player that can change the game on offense or defense with his combination of speed and power. Robert’s 2023 all-star season is evidence of the type of player he can be at his peak. Unfortunately, his career has been defined by injuries and underperformance over the past two seasons, and 2023 is looking more like an outlier as the outfielder approaches age 30. Robert’s first spring training since his trade to the New York Mets has just gotten underway, but it appears Mets fans are already learning the reality of Robert in the lineup.
Carlos Mendoza said when Mets’ trainers started working with Luis Robert, they identified a few things in his lower half that needed to be strengthened in hopes of avoiding injury issues he had in past. The are “slow-playing” him, won’t appear in spring training games right away.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) February 17, 2026
Robert's health concerns are no surprise to White Sox fans
Robert isn’t injured yet, but the Mets are concerned about his health before games have even started. Most MLB players have no problem with a normal ramp-up process in the spring, but Robert has a history of so many injuries that the Mets feel the need to slow his training process.
I’ll admit, I didn’t love the Luis Robert trade when it happened. I’ve never been too high on Luisangel Acuna as a player, and I felt that Robert’s upside gave the White Sox the greatest opportunity to win more games in 2026. I still don’t love the idea of the White Sox feeling the need to dump Robert’s salary when they currently hold the fourth-lowest payroll in baseball. But I can feel better about the trade knowing the constant injuries sidelining Robert aren’t the White Sox problem anymore.
It’s very possible that Luis Robert Jr. will go to the Mets and finally put everything together. At his peak, he’ll certainly outperform his $20 million contract and make the trade look like a steal for the Mets. But I think it’s equally likely that nothing changes. On the field, Robert’s high chase rate and low walk rate hold him back, though he set career highs in those areas in 2025. It’s certainly possible his improved marks were a fluke and he returns to his free-swinging roots.
On the White Sox side, Robert’s performance won’t really define whether the trade is viewed as a success. The White Sox move was primarily to rid themselves of Robert’s contract, and adding a player in Acuna that they feel has untapped potential and can help them long term was simply a bonus. If Acuna puts things together and turns into a big league regular, the White Sox will undoubtedly view the trade as a win regardless of how Robert performs in New York. If not, the team can still talk themselves into believing moving on was necessary regardless.
As a White Sox fan, I’m not sure whether to root for Robert or not. I always liked him during his time in Chicago, but watching him finally tap into his potential in New York would be quite annoying. Odds are, Robert will spend a significant portion of his 2026 season on the injured list, leaving the Mets with a tough decision about his $20 million option.
Robert’s first spring training with the Mets has barely started, and Mets fans are already dealing with some of the same dilemmas that have plagued White Sox fans for years. Don’t expect them to go away anytime soon.