The Chicago White Sox have traded outfielder Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets in exchange for infielder Luisangel Acuña and right-handed pitcher Truman Pauley.
It happened. And I must say — I stand corrected.
The Chicago White Sox have traded center fielder Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets in exchange for infielder Luisangel Acuña and right-handed pitcher Truman Pauley.
As part of the deal, the Mets will assume the entirety of Robert Jr.’s $20 million contract for the 2026 season.
Robert played six seasons with the White Sox, totaling 102 home runs and 102 stolen bases. He was named an American League All-Star in 2023, a season in which he launched 38 home runs, posted an .857 OPS, and earned a Silver Slugger Award.
Acuña is the headliner coming back to Chicago.
The younger brother of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel was once a Top 100 prospect in baseball, but he has struggled to find his footing at the major-league level since being called up by the Mets.
Across 109 career MLB games over the 2024–25 seasons, Acuña owns a .248 batting average and a .640 OPS.
More concerning, however, has been his offensive performance at the upper levels of the minor leagues.
In 28 games with Triple-A Syracuse in 2025, Acuña batted .303, but with just a .732 OPS — a reflection of limited power and ongoing struggles drawing walks. The year prior, he posted a .658 OPS over nearly a full season at the Triple-A level.
From his MLB.com prospect profile in 2024:
“Batting from the right side, Acuña has a stance eerily similar to his brother’s, but at 5-foot-8, he lacks the size or subsequent strength to match his sibling’s power output. He does have solid bat-to-ball skills and plate coverage, however, and that sometimes comes to his detriment."
"Acuña has the speed to beat out some of those groundballs, and he’s stolen at least 40 bags in three straight seasons. He has the arm and range to be a solid shortstop, but the looming shadow of Francisco Lindor caused the Mets to give him more post-trade looks at second base. He should be even better there, and his wheels have gotten him looks in center field in his first taste of Triple-A.”
As for Truman Pauley, he was selected by the Mets in the 12th round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Harvard. After signing, he logged just 4.1 innings in his professional debut season.
The raw stuff is intriguing. Pauley features a mid-90s fastball that touches 96 mph and a wipeout slider, though command has been an issue. Some evaluators view him as a potential relief arm long-term.
It’s a filthy profile, but one the White Sox will need to develop carefully.
All told, it’s a lighter return than what Chicago once sought for Robert. At one point, the White Sox were reportedly asking for multiple Top 10 prospects from an opposing organization, while convincingly signaling they were comfortable bringing Robert back as their 2026 Opening Day center fielder.
Instead, Chicago prioritizes salary relief. By refusing to eat any portion of Robert’s contract, the return was inevitably reduced.
The move leaves the White Sox with an even more crowded infield, and a significant question mark in the outfield, where Andrew Benintendi currently stands as the lone established big-league option on the 40-man roster.