Mets Trade For Luis Robert Jr. – Can He Help Struggling Team?

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by Matthew MendivesJanuary 26, 2026, 2:23 am >

The New York Mets traded for a former All-Star in hopes of getting back into the playoffs.

On January 20, the Mets acquired Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Luisangel Acuna and Truman Pauley. After trading away Brandon Nimmo earlier in the offseason, the Mets had a hole in the outfield.

Robert made his MLB debut in 2020. He had a strong season in a COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting. His next couple of seasons were plagued by injuries, limiting him to under 100 games.

2023 was the year everything came together. He played in 145 games and finished the season with a 5.3 WAR. He was the bright spot on an otherwise bad White Sox team.

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2024 was another injury-riddled season for Robert Jr. However, his play also nosedived. He was never known for his walking abilities, but his on-base percentage dipped to just .278. In 2025, his power began to show a decline. The former Home Run Derby contestant had just a .364 slugging percentage.

His saving grace at this point is his defense. In 2025, he had seven outs above average, which ranked him in the top 12 among center fielders. This is despite him missing 50 games.

Robert Jr. will be joining superstar Juan Soto and top prospect Carson Benge in the Mets outfield. Benge is talented but has played just 24 games at Triple-A.