The fate of Luis Robert Jr. remains the biggest immediate question facing the Chicago White Sox, who have failed time and time again to offload their talented yet oft-injured outfielder for a meaningful return.
That hasn't stopped the rumor mill from igniting with possible suitors for the 28-year-old, who remains a tantalizing trade candidate despite his recent struggles.
As things stand, the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and San Diego Padres appear to have the most interest in a Robert deal. All of those teams check out; each badly needs to add some middle-of-the-order offense to their lineup, and even the Pirates appear to have the financial flexibility to afford Robert's $20 million salary.
Out of all of those teams, though, it's the Padres who are the most likely team to swing a deal with the White Sox. Padres GM A.J. Preller is known for his eye-opening moved, and he's desperate to shake up the roster. San Diego's older core is in a win-now window. All the ingredients are in place for Chris Getz to swing a blockbuster.
Padres may be most aggressive team in Luis Robert Jr. sweepstakes
It must be acknowledged that the Padres' need for Robert in a positional sense is dubious. Jackson Merrill is a star in center field and won't be displaced for anyone, and he's flanked by Ramon Laureano and Fernando Tatis Jr., a pair of power-hitting outfielders with slick gloves.
Robert is too good defensively (7 Outs Above Average in 2025) to push into a full-time DH role, so the Friars would need to find a way to shuffle their pieces around in order to accommodate him. But there's genuine merit in a philosophy of acquiring as much talent as possible and figuring out the arrangement later.
Assuming they can do that — and both sides can work out the money that will inevitably exchange hands — the Padres could do a lot worse in a trade than Robert.
The center fielder only hit .223/.297/.364 in 2025, though he's just two seasons removed from a 38-homer campaign in which he posted a 129 wRC+. Plus, after an exceedingly slow start to the season, Robert turned things around this past July, hitting .353/.441/.549 (176 wRC+) with five home runs and three steals.
Luis Robert Jr. launched that one 427 feet! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/KOR8tIVMgI
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 24, 2025
For a Padres team that ranked 18th in runs scored and 28th in home runs this year, Robert could infuse the middle of their order with quite a bit of power and speed. It'd be a gamble due to his inconsistencies and health issues, but the talent is there in a vacuum.
As for the Pale Hose, Robert would likely bring back at least one notable prospect, even from a down-and-out farm system. Catcher Ethan Salas is probably off the table, but someone like major-league ready pitcher Miguel Mendez could interest the White Sox after being added to the 40-man roster in November.
Again, the money and fit could make a trade too complicated to complete. But no one in the league wheels and deals like Preller, and they've already expressed interest in Robert. Now could be the time for Chris Getz and the White Sox to act.