ANGRY MIKE
Mets pulled off their second blockbuster trade of the off-season, acquiring WhiteSox outfielder Luis Robert in exchange for infielder Luisangel Acuna and pitching prospect Truman Pauley. Simply put Robert is an absolute “TOOLSHED”, possessing natural abilities that have drawn Ronald Acuna comparisons in the past. The problem is two-fold, Robert has not been able to stay healthy the last two years and he has not been able to build off his stellar 2023 season. The combination of Robert’s inconsistencies these last 2 years and the minimum $22 Million he is owed allowed the Mets to acquire him for a fraction of last year’s asking price. David Stearns approached the WhiteSox about a possible trade for Robert spring of 2025, but talks quickly shut down after Chicago asked for trade package centered around Mark Vientos and multiple top prospects. Dialogue continued throughout the season and despite a more concerted effort in July, the asking price for Robert remained high enough to scare multiple teams off.
When news broke of the Mets acquiring Robert it caught everyone by surprise, because at the time it was being reported they had their sights set on free agent Cody Bellinger. What was even more shocking was the fact that they were able to get the deal done for a fraction of the previous reported asking price, which is what makes this acquisition a potential game-changer for the upcoming season. Robert’s acquisition is a textbook low-cost, high-reward gamble, which offers the same upside as Bellinger, but with considerably more risk, hence the low-cost to acquire him.
Of all the players available this off-season, whether from the pool of free agents or on the trade block, an argument can be made that stipulates Robert is by far the most talented, because few players in the league can match his 5-Tool skillset. Despite Robert’s prodigious talent, an argument can also be made, that Robert also has the highest degree of risk to capitalize on that talent. Risk attached to a player stipulates a higher degree of risk variance, which makes it very difficult to forecast production, and the return on investment.
That’s why executives like Stearns are paid millions of dollars, to effectively mitigate risk when it comes to decisions on personnel, while simultaneously maximizing the return on investment. Acquiring Robert for a low-cost doesn’t mitigate risk, but it does create an opportunity to maximize potential R.O.I.
The question now is, how can the Mets help Robert regain his 2023 All-Star form?
2023 STATISTICS:
| 0.264 BA | 36 2B | 38 HR | 80 RBI | 90 Runs | 20 SB | 30 K-RATE |
There is a reason why several big-market clubs have been pursuing Robert, a list that includes the Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies, and the Mets. The tools are there, and his electric potential was identified very early in his pro career, which is why he was rated the #3 Overall Prospect in the MLB in 2020:
2020 SCOUTING GRADES:
LUIS ROBERT:
55 HIT | 65 POWER | 65 RUN | 65 ARM | 55 FIELD | 65 OVERALL
BOBBY WITT:
60 HIT | 60 POWER | 60 RUN | 60 ARM | 60 FIELD | 60 OVERALL
Above is a link to a compilation of Robert’s first 100 Career HR
Scouting Report based off highlights:
Legit 70-80 grade power -> exceptional power to all fields.
Excels at punishing all kinds of fastball velocity, including plus-plus velocity.
Plus bat speed allows him to punish breaking balls
Has the rare ability to cover all 4 quadrants of the strike-zone
Has lightning quick hands -> provides ability to get his hands in and turn on fastballs on the inner half
Has a knack for hitting absolute bombs -> especially against elite pitchers
Brings a much needed swagger to the Mets lineup sorely needs.
Gold-Glove caliber defender at all three OF positions.
Tremendous upgrade over current OF & last year’s players.
Overall, I think this will be a great acquisition for the Mets, primarily because they were able to acquire an exciting talent still entering his prime, for a fraction of the cost that was previously reported. The Mets traded away a couple players that have interesting tools and considerable upside but they were able to get a deal done without surrendering players the WhiteSox really wanted for Robert. Players like Robert who are playing for their next big contract have that additional incentive to do whatever it takes to get themselves back on track. The fact Robert is a Scott Boras client, also provides him with access to the best off-season training facilities, an incredible team of coaches and trainers, and arguably the best analytics team in the industry.
Fingers-crossed this kid unlocks his best version, as he’s an electric talent and someone who could be a true difference-maker for the Mets on both sides of the ball for the 2026 season.
12 comments:
In his rarely cited 2022 season, when he was just 23, he hit a remarkable .338/.378/.567 in 68 games. So his 2023 AND 2022 had to have people thinking “superstar”. Simply, there seems no reason to think he can’t hit .250+ along with power for the Mets. Supporting that conclusion was his resurgent second half of 2025, in which he played only 31 games but hit .300. Great trade, and a major upgrade on Luisangel Acuna.
Nice piece, Mike.
Very nice piece, Mike.
As the first move that happened during the week of flurry, it caught us by surprise. The fans that applauded the move did so because 1) something happened and we all knew he had the talent, and 2) the return was a toolsy infielder that showed a lower ceiling.
I really like his upside. With the flow of prospects coming up (Benge, Morabito, Ewing) this was a very low risk acquisition. The upside is that Roberts reaches that five tool potential with the motivation of playing for a winning club with a loftier goal than the Sox.
Hopefully he plays out his two years with the Mets and we pay him the money he is due because he did really well and when he turns 29-30 years old, he goes into the free agency and we get Compensatory pick For him leaving if we don’t sign him?
I really believe him in our lineup as opposed to his old lineup. He will see a lot more pitches to hit.
Now go trade, Baty, Mauricio and Morabito for Duran . Let Benge be our DH/4OF and have Soto DH 1/3 the time this year. Duran Duran, Duran Duran, Duran at the top of our lineup would be crazy good. We’d have stolen based threat and almost every position except catcher
I love this deal. The Mets have the depth to mitigate any risk of underperformance, and the upside is season-altering. I’ve listened to a couple of White Sox commentators who indicated that Robert was unmotivated in the midst of losing 300+ games over three seasons. That may not be a great sign with regard to his makeup, but it’s also understandable, given that the promising “core” that he came up with have pretty much all been jettisoned. It’s hard to imagine he’ll lack motivation when suddenly playing for a contender on a huge stage, surrounded by gamers and pros like Semien, Polanco, Bichette, and Lindor (hat tip to Stearns).
The guy is just 28 years old, and if he’s healthy he has the tools (and has shown the production) to be a top 5 and maybe even top 3 MLB CF. For Acuña and a 12th round pick (no matter how intriguing)? That’s a home run.
There’s a world in which Robert rediscovers his passion and production, where Baty and Alvarez an even Vientos take a step forward, and where Polanco, Bichette, Lindor, and Soto have even average years for them in which this offense is as good as any in baseball.
Great risk to take on Robert Jr. And nice piece, Mike.
Hey, Alvarez has good wheels. Just ask him! There’s nothing he thinks he can’t do, which is both good and bad, hence the throwing the ball all over the diamond.
Remember when Prada fell to 11 and we wondered why… remember when Houck fell to 32 and we wondered why… remember when Tidwell went in the second round and we wondered why?
My point is that 28 teams wouldn’t send at least what the Mets sent. There has to be a reason for that. We just don’t know it yet.
Great piece Mike. Love the offensive upside & the defense. We will see how he steps up - or not.
Sorry
Can't sign off on this guy
Hope I'm wrong
Agreed
If Duran is added, we’d have a killer offense and defense
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