There is a feeling still out there that the Chicago White Sox would love to trade outfielder Luis Robert Jr. before Opening Day.
The problem is finding an interested trade partner.
The White Sox turned off the Cincinnati Reds with an unrealistically high trade demand. There was some speculation last week that the Houston Astros could explore a deal.
Otherwise, it has been radio silent lately when it comes to any trade chatter involving the Sox former All-Star.
However, trade speculation has picked up around Robert's former teammate Dylan Cease.
There is a way the Sox desire to get something for Robert Jr. before a potential injury could intersect with the San Diego Padres considering wanting to get something for Cease before he bolts in free agency next offseason.
The White Sox should try to leverage the Padres rumored return for an offensive upgrade in the outfield and a young pitcher to help a contender land Cease in a three-team trade.
When healthy, Luis Robert Jr. is still one of the better players in baseball. The White Sox also have a ton of young pitching that maybe they could entice the Padres to acquire young hurlers Davis Martin or Jonathan Cannon.
Martin has been unhittable in spring training with a devastating kick change pitch he developed last season. He has been so good in Cactus League play that he is the speculated favorite to be the team's Opening Day starter.
If the Sox want two top five prospects for an oft-injured but highly talented 27-year-old Luis Robert Jr. they may have to throw in one or both of their young pitchers already at the big-league level.
Before you lose your mind, remember the White Sox have potentially better pitching prospects coming up behind them in Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith, and Grant Taylor. Those three, along with Drew Thorpe, Shane Smith, and Sean Burke, could eventually force Martin and Cannon to be traded anyways (or moved to the bullpen).
So, if the Sox have to include Robert Jr. and Martin to help a contender meet the Padres' trade return and that way the Southsiders can get the prized prospects they desire in a three-team deal, then so be it.
The White Sox have to leverage their last remaining viable asset in LRJ to get enough prospects to continue to accelerate the rebuild's timeline.
Right now, teams are not willing to meet the Sox price with Luis Robert Jr. on his own.
However, maybe a three-team deal with White Sox general manager Chris Getz helping a contender do the hard part by helping meet the Padres' high price for Cease could accomplish the objective of maximizing a return for Robert Jr.
Although it would be difficult to get the Padres to bite.
It would be San Diego needing to buy into Robert Jr. returning to his 2023 All-Star production and staying healthy, along with Preller really loving Martin's potential (and even Cannon's).
That means a long shot belief in Martin's kick change and the rest of his pitches have gotten better than the 4.32 ERA he put up last season--a season where he had just 11 appearances and 10 starts after missing 2023 after needing Tommy John surgery.
Front offices also like to assign dollar values to players based on their production as a way to measure trade value (and a way to figure out what they would pay a player).
According to FanGraphs, Robert Jr's injury plagued 2024 produced just $4.2 million in value. That is a significant drop from the $39.4 million in value he produced in 2023. Martin produced $5.1 million. Cease was calculated by FanGraphs to have produced $38.1 million in value.
Preller would need to view Robert Jr's value more in the 2023 range and Martin's uncalculated potential as a reason to want to include the Sox in any three-team involving Cease.
That is why a team like the New York Yankees or Chicago Cubs might prefer to just deal with San Diego directly since it is highly unlikely Preller would view Robert and Martin that way.