This is not the ideal offseason for the Chicago White Sox to consider trading Luis Robert Jr.
Last offseason was, but the owner wanted things turned around quickly even though Jerry Reinsdorf was not willing to authorized a major free-agent spending spree for that to happen.
Now, the franchise is at the beginning of a monumental rebuild after losing a record 121 games. One of the reasons that happened on a Dead Sea scroll-sized list is Robert Jr. missed 62 games with an injury.
When he was in the lineup, he was ineffective at the plate. He went from hitting .264 with 38 home runs and 4.9 fWAR in 2023 to a .224 average, 14 home runs, and a .5 fWAR this season.
The injury history and the terrible 2024 have put his trade value at an all-time low. However, that is not discouraging general manager Chris Getz from trying to deal Robert Jr. this offseason.
Getz likely wants to trade Robert Jr. now because if he gets hurt again in 2025, the team must consider paying his $2 million buyout after the season rather than exercise his $20 million option for 2026.
That means losing him for nothing, much like what just happened with Yoan Moncada.
He still can impact the game defensively, and if he stays healthy, he has one of the most talented bats in the game. Plus, he is owed only $15 million this season and then two $20 million club options. Considering what Juan Soto just signed for, that is a bargain so long as LRJ stays healthy and returns to 2023 form.
Three teams make sense to deal Luis Robert Jr. to if they meet Getz's demands...
The Los Angeles Dodgers
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal is reporting the Dodgers are interested in trading prospects to address their outfield rather than pay Teoscar Hernandez the money he is demanding to return.
Dodgers exploring right-handed hitting alternatives beyond free agent Teoscar Hernández. Story: https://t.co/NBoxxt50AF
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 21, 2024
The White Sox's asking price is believed to be just "something significant." While Dodgers team president Andrew Freidman has fleeced Chris Getz once before, in this instance, he might not be able to considering the asking price.
Also, this could be a decision where Freidman realizes he no longer has a spot for top prospect Dalton Rushing, a player Getz reportedly wanted back at this year's trade deadline for Garrett Crochet.
It made sense to say no to a player who only plays every five days and was on a pitch limit. Luis Robert Jr. can play every day--if healthy--and impacts the game at the plate and in the field.
That is why Rushing might be in play. However, he could be used as the team's backup catcher and fourth outfielder this season.
The Dodgers could offer some big-league players in the same vein as Miguel Vargas with the hope that things turn out better. Pitcher Bobby Miller looks to be squeezed out of the rotation with the addition of Blake Snell. There is still some potential to be a good starting pitcher there.
James Outman hit 23 home runs in 2023, but struggled mightily in 2024 to where he was demoted a few times. The only downside to Outman being a reclamation project is he turns 28 next May. It would not make sense to flip a younger Robert Jr. for Outman.
Plus, the White Sox front office might not want players with club control years already burned. Still, the Dodgers have plenty of significant prospects to offer back for Luis Robert Jr.
The Cincinnati Reds
The case for the Reds was already made on this site earlier this month. They have five prospects in the top 100 according to MLB Pipeline.
Three of them are position players, all 21 or younger. The problem is that Edwin Arroyo is the only player of those three who has reached Double-A. However, Sal Steward and Cam Collier being at A-ball might actually be the reason the Reds give up one or both of those players.
An A-ball player is still a big what-if. That is why the risk of trading top-100 players still at the level of the minors is not huge.
However, this is still a small-market team who might decide to hold onto their top prospects and not give up something significant.
The Philadelphia Phillies
SoxMachine.com's Josh Nelson makes a great case as to why the Phillies should be interested in Robert Jr.
Even though the Philadelphia Phillies traded for Jesus Luzardo this morning, they still could use outfield help.
— Josh Nelson - Sox Machine (@soxmachine_josh) December 22, 2024
Which is why on @SoxMachine this morning I wrote the Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers being obvious landing spots for Luis Robert Jr. https://t.co/j0FyGAs8gi
The Phillies were reportedly willing to give up their top prospect to get Garrett Crochet. The deal fell through when the Sox demanded Philadelphia add their top pitching prospect too.
If Chris Getz really wants pitcher Andrew Painter, maybe sending back an affordable outfielder such as Luis Robert Jr. will do the trick. Crochet only takes the field once every five days. LRJ, when healthy, plays every day.
The Phillies did trade away top-100 prospect Starlyn Caba to the Miami Marlins for Jesus Lazardo. Caba likely would have been the "something significant" in a Luis Robert Jr. trade if the Phillies refused to deal their three top prospects, Aidan Miller, Painter, and Justin Crawford.
However, Getz loves catching prospects, and the Phillies fourth-ranked prospect, Eduardo Tait, is at A-ball. Maybe that is the significant piece Getz wants back to trade, his only significant player left on the roster.