The MLB trade deadline often delivers its best drama through perfect timing, and Luis Robert Jr. just delivered the ultimate plot twist. Want to guess what happens when a struggling All-Star suddenly remembers how to hit just eight days before the deadline? Well, you know the Chicago White Sox are about to find out the hard way.
Robert’s recent surge has created the exact kind of dilemma that makes front offices lose sleep. The 27-year-old center fielder, who entered July batting a dismal .206, has completely flipped the script with a scorching .364 average, two homers, and a ridiculous 1.023 OPS in his last 10 games. You’ve got to wonder if Robert picked the perfect time to heat up or the worst possible time for Chicago’s rebuild plans. The numbers tell an interesting story of a player rediscovering his swing at the perfect moment, posting .447 on-base and stealing three bases on a White Sox team that’s quietly only six wins from passing last year’s total.
The fascinating wrinkle here is that this recent streak both helps and hurts Chicago’s position. In The Athletic‘s latest article by Patrick Mooney, Will Sammon, and Katie Woo, it was reported that two (anonymous) teams made “aggressive attempts” to acquire Robert recently, but apparently, the White Sox didn’t like the packages offered. Given the center fielder’s recent progress, the clubhouse is expecting “better return.”
Just earlier this month, Jim Bowden reported that multiple MLB executives don’t believe that the White Sox will trade outfielder Robert Jr. by the July 31 trade deadline. Although a couple of others see him potentially getting dealt because of a dearth of “power bats and outfielders” that will be available.
MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Chicago White Sox at Pittsburgh Pirates Jul 18, 2025 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. 88 hits a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at PNC Park. Pittsburgh PNC Park Pennsylvania USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xCharlesxLeClairex 20250718_lbm_al8_059
But now, the situation is, Robert’s value in the trade market is expected to only rise if he continued with his hot streak. But that isn’t the only reason Chicago is expecting a worthy prospect in return. In a market hungry for upside, teams can’t ignore the ceiling that made him an All-Star at just 25, even if recent production has yet to match that promise. Add in the 38 home runs, and there isn’t a better center fielder prospect in the trade market than Robert.
Thus, some MLB sources close to The Athletic believe the clubhouse may also pick up his $20 million option for payroll reasons, which makes financial sense but defies conventional rebuilding logic. But the likelihood of that happening is quite less, given his recent health and production concerns.
Here’s where the story takes a brutally honest turn. The former All-Star, a holdover from Chicago’s brief window of contention in 2020 and 2021, addressed his trade value Tuesday in an interview with MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. “Right now, as my season is going, I don’t think anyone is going to take a chance on me,” he said. Talk about reading the room while his recent streak might generate highlight reels, Robert understands that four months of struggles carry more weight than ten good games.
While Robert’s trade saga dominates headlines, Chicago’s front office is quietly building for tomorrow. The organization clearly understands that rebuilds require both selling veterans and investing in the future.
White Sox banking on Billy Carlson as future foundation
While Robert’s immediate future remains uncertain, Chicago is already looking ahead with its newest cornerstone. The White Sox inked Billy Carlson as 10th overall pick from last week’s MLB Draft for $6,235,900, which hits slot value right on the nose. Want to take any guess why Jerry Reinsdorf suddenly opened his wallet without hesitation?
Well, you know how these things go: securing Carlson eliminates any holdout drama that could’ve dragged into August. Every scout who watched this kid play ranked him somewhere between #7 and #12 in the class, and they can’t stop raving about his glove. Baseball America described his defensive skills as having “silky smooth actions in the field with clean hands,” which sounds pretty fancy for an 18-year-old.
Here’s where it gets interesting: Carlson throws 97 mph off the mound, so scouts initially thought he might go the two-way route. But his bat tells a different story: He’s more of a contact hitter than a power threat, which leaves everyone wondering if he’ll develop that pop as he fills out his frame.
The White Sox better hope this gamble pays off because their current shortstop depth chart looks like a mess. Chase Meidroth handles most duties now but screams utility player, while Colson Montgomery has struggled so badly they’ve moved him to third base. Tbh, it makes sense they’re betting everything on Carlson’s ceiling, even knowing he won’t sniff the majors for years.
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