At first glance, the New York Mets’ recent trade for center fielder Luis Robert Jr. was made to fill a specific hole. The Mets need a good defensive outfielder to hold the fort while prospect Carson Benge finishes developing, and Robert fits the bill.
Beyond that, many consider Robert a broken player who can’t be fixed, but the Mets don’t really share that perspective. David Adler of MLB.com tried to get beneath the obvious reasons for the trade to see why the Mets have a different opinion, and he came up with three numbers that could explain the team’s logic.
The first is bat speed. According to Adler Robert ranked in the top ten percent of all players at 75.6 mph. It’s an impressive stat, but the logic here is a little sketchy. Robert’s offensive numbers have been terrible for several seasons now, so just because the former Chicago White Sox outfielder has bat speed doesn’t mean he can actually put it in play and be productive again.
The second number Adler used is the obvious one: Robert’s outs above average number was +7, and that’s why they traded for him. Mets GM David Stearn made it abundantly clear that run prevention would be a priority this season, and Robert fits the bill and then some. That particular stat reflects his strong range, which Robert will definitely need in an outfield where he’ll be playing alongside right fielder Juan Soto and a player to be named later in left
The third number is about Robert’s speed, which really hasn’t been discussed much. His sprint speed is 29.0 feet per second, according to Adler, and that puts him in the upper tier of all MLB runners. Indeed, it’s almost elite, so if Robert can hit even a little bit, he could match or exceed the 33 stolen bases he posted last year, which was a career high for him.
Some of the potential associated with these numbers is obviously speculative, but the good news is that (a) they didn’t give up much to get him, and (b) contract wise, this is a low-risk deal. Robert is playing for $20 million this year, which is pricey for what he’s done offensively, but Stearns has been emphasizing short-term deals in his acquisition this offseason, so if Robert disappoint as a hitter, the Mets can simply benefit from his defense, then move on from him at the end of the season.