Why White Sox are winners of Luis Robert Jr. trade with Mets

Why White Sox are winners of Luis Robert Jr. trade with Mets originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Over the offseason, the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets made a trade, sending Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets in exchange for Luisangel Acuna and Truman Pauley.While Acuna might not be a switch-hitter, and Pauley might only be a Single-A prospect right now, the White Sox are coming out of that trade as winners.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale highlighted why the White Sox won the Robert Jr. trade, and it's a tough reality for the Mets, even though the return the White Sox received isn't anything overly special.Why White Sox won Luis Robert Jr.

trade with Mets"The Chicago White Sox took a $20 million gamble that they would find a sucker to take center fielder Luis Robert Jr. off their hands when they picked up his option, and the Mets right up stepped up..." Nightengale writes.

Calling the Mets a "sucker" for trading for Robert Jr. might be a bit of a stretch, as he is still someone who could've been a very fun addition for a World Series-contending team like the Mets were heading into 2026.But the issue for the Mets in this trade is that Robert Jr.

, who's making $20 million this season and was acquired for two young players in Acuna and Pauley, has only played 24 games this season.As Nightengale notes, "Robert, who missed 289 games the past five years with the White Sox, has already been sidelined 46 games with a back injury and no timetable to return."MORE: Mets projected to still sell at trade deadline by ex-MLB GMThe Mets spent a bit of money and prospect capital to add Robert Jr.

to the roster, and he's not provided much value at all, thanks to a 0.0 bWAR in 24 games with a .656 OPS, and this lengthy injury absence.

Acuna has put up -0.4 bWAR this season for the White Sox. The 24-year-old is under club control through 2031 and isn't performing well for the White Sox this season.

Pauley has a 6.57 ERA for