Jul 23, 2025; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Chicago White Sox centerfielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) hits a RBI single in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
The Mets remain in the market for a center fielder who can also bolster the bottom half of their lineup, and Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox remains very much in play.
While multiple reports have continuously linked New York with the veteran outfielder, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand was told that the NL East club is “the frontrunner” in the Robert sweepstakes.
The Mets are in need of a legitimate, natural center-fielding option for a position that was derailed by Jose Siri’s broken leg back in April. In what was supposed to be a platoon, Tyrone Taylor was left to be the starter throughout most of the season, though Jeff McNeil has stepped in admirably to provide a boost in production.
But the Mets could use another bat that carries a threat while allowing McNeil to get back to his normal position at second base to ease the pressure off the inconsistent youngsters, whether that be Luisangel Acuna or Ronny Mauricio. The bottom half of New York’s lineup has been a black hole for significant stretches of the season. They are also batting just .226 against left-handed pitching (24th in MLB) and are tied for second-worst in the big leagues with a .227 average with runners in scoring position.
Robert’s bat has been a shell of the 38-home-run talent that lit up the American League Central in 2023. He batted just .224 with 14 home runs last season and is batting .206 with 11 round-trippers this year.
But there is reason for the Mets’ interest.
Over his last 12 games, he is slashing .333/.429/.571 (1.000 OPS) with three home runs, 11 RBI, and four stolen bases. Despite the down stat line, he is batting .288 against lefties this season and .274 with runners in scoring position. Those numbers have the potential to improve within a deeper lineup, too. Rather than playing for one of the worst teams in baseball, Robert would be batting behind Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Pete Alonso, meaning he is going to see more to hit.
Couple that with a solid glove in center field — his outs above average (range) ranks within MLB’s 88th percentile, per Baseball Savant — and the 27-year-old fills a need in New York.
Of course, the price tag will ultimately decide whether ot not this would be a good deal, considering Robert is under team control through the 2027 season. The White Sox are interested in Mark Vientos, who is experiencing a significant sophomore slump after blasting 27 home runs in his first full season in the majors last year. Acuna has also been linked in talks, as well.
For more on the Mets and Luis Robert Jr., visit AMNY.com
