Chicago, IL (AP) – The New York Mets acquired Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, filling a hole in center field.
New York sent infielder Luisangel Acuña and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley to Chicago for Robert, who has struggled with injuries and inconsistency since a stellar 2023 season.
The Mets had been looking for outfield help since they traded Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien. They were in the mix for Kyle Tucker before he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The trade was announced after New York finalized a $126 million, three-year contract with Bo Bichette, a two-time All-Star shortstop who is moving to third base with the Mets.
Robert hit a career-low .223 with 14 homers, 53 RBIs and a career-best 33 steals in 110 games last year. Despite the shaky performance, the White Sox exercised his $20 million option for 2026.
“Unfortunately he hasn’t had the consistency that he had hoped or we had hoped,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz said. “Injuries have really held him back.”
Robert’s contract also has a $20 million club option for 2027 with a $2 million buyout.
“We’re going to be very active,” Getz said. “An opportunity to be really creative with the flexibility that we have.”
New York is looking to return to the playoffs after it faded to an 83-79 record last year. Popular slugger Pete Alonso and star closer Edwin Díaz departed in free agency, but the Mets signed closer Devin Williams, reliever Luke Weaver and infielder Jorge Polanco.
The 23-year-old Acuña hit .234 with eight RBIs and 16 steals in 95 games with New York last season. Acuña, who can play second base, third base and shortstop, was acquired by the Mets in a July 2023 trade with the Rangers for Max Scherzer.
“One of the younger, exciting players in our game. Hasn’t really gotten a runway at the major league level,” Getz said. “We have opportunity here and we can provide that runway to show off his talent and his ability and his ceiling.”
Acuña joins a promising group of young position players that also includes Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel and Chase Meidroth. The White Sox finished last in the AL Central last year with a 60-102 record, a 19-game improvement from the previous season.
Pauley, 22, was a 12th-round pick in the 2025 amateur draft out of Harvard. He had no record and a 2.08 ERA in three starts with Class A St. Lucie last year.
“Any opportunity to bring in a Harvard kid, I think add some intellectual firepower to an organization,” Getz said.
Robert, who turns 29 in August, made his major league debut with Chicago in 2020, winning a Gold Glove and finishing second to Kyle Lewis in balloting for AL Rookie of the Year. He made the AL All-Star team in 2023, when he hit .264 with 38 homers, 80 RBIs and 20 steals in 145 games.
Robert got off to a tough start last year, batting .190 with nine homers, 35 RBIs and 93 strikeouts in his first 79 games. He was believed to be on the market ahead of the trade deadline, but the White Sox opted to keep the slumping slugger.
He was much better after the All-Star break, hitting .298 (34 for 114) with five homers and 18 RBIs in 31 games. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 27 with a left hamstring strain, ending his season.
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