Losing games in frustrating fashion and Luis Robert Jr. going on the Injured List seems to be the one constant around the Chicago White Sox these days.
General manager Chris Getz announced that Robert Jr. would be going on the 10-day IL with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. That means there is a good chance Robert Jr. does not return to the lineup before the 2025 season ends.
He suffered the injury running to first base in Tuesday's game against the Kansas City Royals. This is Robert Jr's second stint on the IL this season.
Robert Jr. has missed significant time in every season except the All-Star year he had in 2023, when he played 145 games. Robert Jr. missed 62 games last season with an adductor strain. He missed 158 games between 2021 and 2022 with various ailments.
You would think with this latest injury, Getz might consider declining Robert Jr's $20 million club option for next season. But Getz announced that the team is still committed to bringing back the oft-injured centerfielder.
Chris Getz says Robert may not make it back this season due to the hamstring injury.
— Connor McKnight (@C1McKnight) August 27, 2025
He praised Robert’s second half surge and went on to say “we’re committed to Luis,” and “we like having him here.” https://t.co/Ao3Vm10FPo
While I feared this would happen and more injuries would come for Luis Robert Jr., I do agree with Getz's decision to pick up the option for a few reasons.
The White Sox must maintain Robert's trade asset status
Getz did not move Robert Jr. at the trade deadline because none of the reported offers met his high trade demands. While it felt like Getz was chasing a "white whale" trade package that did not exist, having that club option in his back pocket did mean the GM had leverage.
Getz probably felt empowered that he could reject offers that were not in line with Robert Jr's talent and potential to still be an All-Star, as ESPN's Buster Olney reported last month, because he still had two years of club control.
Bringing him back on the club option also means that Robert Jr. is getting a $5 million raise in 2026 despite only playing in 110 games this season and having another bad overall season at the plate.
Getz must maintain Robert Jr's status as a trade asset. That means giving more money to Robert Jr. despite a .223/.297/.364 slash line with 14 home runs and a wRC+ of 83.
Even though Robert's trade value will likely never be as high as it was after the 2023 season, when he had a .857 OPS, he still could contribute to a contender (provided he is healthy and not slumping at the plate).
He still has value as an elite defensive center fielder (seven outs above average), can cause havoc on the basepaths with his speed (33 stolen bases), and can still hit left-handed pitching (a career .293 average against southpaws).
He still has some pop in his bat despite hitting just 28 home runs over the last two seasons combined. He did crush 38 dingers during his All-Star year in 2023.
Robert Jr. will likely finish out 2025 as a 1.2 fWAR player. While FanGraphs' production to dollar conversion value has him at $10 million, paying him $20 million might still be worth it to keep an asset with such great upside.
Plus, the White Sox only have Andrew Benintendi's $17.1 million salary on the books for next season. They can easily absorb the raise.
While owner Jerry Reinsdorf may not like paying a .223 hitter that much, he probably does not want to make his hand-picked GM look foolish by letting Robert Jr. go for nothing (and a $2 million buyout).
This is not a Yoan Moncada situation
You could argue the team moved on from Yoan Moncada last offseason, who had a similar injury history to Robert, so the club should do the same here. But these are nowhere near the same situation and there are two big differences.
Moncada only played in 12 games in 2024 and 92 in 2023. Robert Jr. has played at least 100 games or more over the past three seasons.
The White Sox also had Miguel Vargas on the roster to replace Moncada as the long-term third baseman. There was no need to bring Moncada back, but the same thing cannot be said about center field.
The White Sox currently do not have a long-term, young option to replace Robert Jr. in center field. Brooks Baldwin has played 14 games in center and got additional playing time there this season at Triple-A Charlotte. However, he cannot cover the ground in the outfield like Robert Jr.
Also, I feel like Baldwin is better suited as a super-utility player and not the long-term answer at a premium outfield position
Top prospect Braden Montgomery is at Double-A, but his scouting report feels like he'll be more of a right fielder than a center fielder in the big leagues.
Without an obvious future answer in center, and Getz doubling down that he can still get the trade return he hopes to get for Robert Jr., it only makes sense to give Luis Robert Jr. another run to rebuild his trade value with the 2026 White Sox.