Trade talks are heating between the White Sox and Reds—but a Luis Robert Jr. deal will only happen if a team is willing to pay a premium price for upside.
Every week, there seems to be a new rumor surrounding Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and his trade market.
Plenty of teams around the league need help in the outfield, and the free-agent class offers an underwhelming batch of available talent. That’s why clubs continue to kick the tires on a high-upside player like Robert.
The question, as it has been all winter, is whether anyone is willing to meet the White Sox’s lofty asking price.
General manager Chris Getz has set a high bar for a return package, and to this point, he has shown little interest in coming off that price. Chicago is fully prepared to enter the 2026 season with Robert Jr. as its starting center fielder.
If Robert returns to All-Star form, his trade value would skyrocket, potentially netting the White Sox a rebuild-accelerating haul of prospects. And even if he remains more of the player he’s been recently—a Gold Glove–caliber defender, dynamic baserunner, and left-handed pitching destroyer with persistent injury concerns—there would still be a market to move him at the deadline for a more modest return.
That’s the calculus for the White Sox, and it’s why a deal feels unlikely unless a team truly steps up with an aggressive offer.
Any trade would almost certainly require Chicago to eat a portion of Robert Jr.’s $20 million salary for the 2026 season. The White Sox have shown a willingness to do that, particularly if the acquiring team is a smaller-market club. If the suitor were a big spender like the New York Mets, the dynamics might look different.
Still, the talks appear to be getting more serious.
According to reports from Gordon Wittenmyer, Reds beat writer for the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Cincinnati Reds are engaged in active discussions with the White Sox regarding Robert Jr.
Cincinnati reportedly made an offer earlier in the offseason, but Chicago’s demands were higher and required “another player thrown into the mix.” The two clubs have continued to talk, with Wittenmyer noting that one source told him “it could be done as soon as this week—if it gets done.”
Early indications suggest the White Sox are targeting pitching in any potential deal. That aligns with reporting from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale shortly after Chicago announced the signing of Munetaka Murakami.
One likely name involved is 27-year-old left-hander Brandon Williamson. In 131.1 career MLB innings, Williamson owns a 4.39 ERA. He missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery but is expected to return at some point in 2026, with multiple years of club control remaining.
Reds No. 7 prospect Chase Petty is another name to watch if Chicago is prioritizing arms that could help the big-league club sooner rather than later.
My stance remains unchanged: if the White Sox trade Luis Robert Jr. in the coming days—or at any point before Opening Day—it will be for a larger haul than many around the league expect. A deal will only get done if a team fully buys into Robert’s ceiling and becomes desperate enough to meet a price that has, so far, scared most clubs away.