The Chicago White Sox reportedly have a high asking price for Luis Robert Jr. despite a history of injuries and underperformance.
One reason for that appears to be a fear of the league-wide perception, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
Rosenthal reports that the White Sox do not want to look foolish if they trade Robert Jr. for a mid-level prospect only to see him regain his 2023 form with another team. 2023 was the year Robert Jr. made the AL All-Star team and played like a rising star.
Robert's potential to be a star player seems to be another reason GM Chris Getz is demanding a high return. ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that the White Sox want a trade return "equivalent of what Robert's potential."
The team is allegedly prepared to hang on to him and pick up his $20 million option for 2026.
Division rivals are vying for outfielder Luis Robert of the White Sox, with the White Sox apparently resolute in the stance that they'll either receive a trade return the equivalent of what Robert's potential is or hang onto him beyond the deadline. The White Sox hold a $20…
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 29, 2025
I find it interesting that Olney has gone from finding it unlikely for the White Sox to find a trade partner to outlining three teams interested in making a deal.
But even with multiple teams interested, it sounds like Robert Jr.'s suitor are not willing to pay the price of a Top 10 prospect (like what Rosenthal is reporting) or MLB talent that would meet Chicago's asking price.
It's safe to make that assumption, because if Chris Getz had the offer he was looking for, a deal would have been completed by now.
Robert's value isn't what it used to be
The White Sox seem to be the party that is holding up a trade for Robert Jr. They are still chasing his value from a 2023 season when he had a .857 OPS, crushed 38 home runs, posted a 129 wRC+, and finished with a 4.9 fWAR in a career-high 145 games.
The harsh reality is that Robert Jr. has not come close to those numbers since, with injuries limiting him to just 100 games last season and his performance cratering this year.
He still has some trade value with his ability to plate elite defense in centerfield and chage the game on the bases. Luis Robert Jr. still crushes left-handed pitching, as well, with a .996 OPS and six home runs against southpaws in 2025.
Robert had that all of those tools on display on Monday night in front of the Phillies, a rumored interested trade partner, with a nice defensive play and go-ahead home run off of lefty Christopher Sanchez.
I almost expected Robert Jr. to be personally escorted over to the visiting clubhouse after the game after a deal was completed.
White Sox GM is chasing a "white whale" that likely will not be hauled in
If the #WhiteSox are ever good again, Luis Robert won’t be on that team. If $20 million can be spent this off-season, they shouldn’t spend it on him chasing a white whale trade package that doesn’t exist. Take what you can get, move on and move forward unfortunately.
— James Fox (@JamesFox917) July 29, 2025
You can call GM Chris Getz "Ishmael," because he is chasing his white whale with the trade package he is holding out for. I give him credit for leveraging the club option Robert Jr. has and the team's low payroll commitments for next season to potentially absorb the $20 million owed on that option. However, I'm not sure anyone's buying the bluff.
Ken Rosenthal has already reported that teams believe the White Sox bluffing. It is unlikely that owner Jerry Reinsdorf will authorize Getz to pick up Robert Jr.'s option and pay him $20 million next season after his subpar production.
This is the same owner who has openly rallied against his fellow owners spending too much money on struggling players in free agency. I doubt he suddenly changes his mind to preserve Robert Jr.'s asset status.
"Particularly in baseball. If you have somebody who decides he wants to spend $42 million on a second baseman who hits .202, and one comes along for you, you’re going to probably have to spend the same money. The whole thing is irrational."
— Blake Schuster (@Schustee) May 1, 2023
It is possible that Robert's strong July leads to a second half that raises his numbers enough to get Jerry's blessing.
He has a .318 batting average, three home runs, and .957 OPS this month. He also had a stretch from April 25 through May 4 when he went 11-for-33 with three home runs, but followed it up with a major slump and ended up on the Injured List.
The risk of injury and a prolonged slump is always going to be there with Robert. If he does suffer a major injury or plunges into another funk at the plate before the end of the season, then the team will likely pay him his $2 million buyout, and he will be lost for nothing.
Getz can fear looking foolish if he trades Robert Jr. for pennies on the dollar and then watches Robert go on to better things. Realistically, that is probably going to happen anyway. It seems most players become better versions of themselves once they leave the South Side.
Reynaldo Lopez, Michael Kopech, Gavin Sheets, and Andrew Vaughn are evidence of that.
However, the White Sox got Edgar Quero for Lopez in a trade. Michael Vargas came back in the Kopech deal. Sheets was a missed opportunity. The White Sox needed Aaron Civale to eat innings for an already overtaxed young rotation, and Vaughn's thriving in Milwaukee is merely because he is a supporting member of the lineup, not a core piece like he was in Chicago.
Vaughn did just fine in 2021 and 2022 when he was asked to provide support to core players such as Jose Abreu and Tim Anderson. He only started to struggle when he became a focal point of the White Sox offense. It should not be overly shocking that he is doing so well in Milwaukee right now with an OPS over 1.000.
Robert Jr. can have similar success if he is asked to do less in another lineup. It won't surprise me if we see Robert Jr. thrive elsewhere, but getting something back for him could turn into a future positive for the White Sox.