ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports this that Mets outfielder Luis Robert Jr. acquired from the White Sox. In return, infielder Luisangel Acuna and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley will leave for Chicago. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports this that the Mets will pay Roberts full salary.
Robert seemed to be a budding star after the 2023 season. He posted a .264/.315/.542 batting line in his 595 plate appearances, hitting 38 home runs and 36 doubles while stealing 20 bases. Robert was an All-Star that season, won a Silver Slugger award and earned MVP votes through the down ballot.
Mets continue to push to improve defense with Luis Robert Jr.
Everything fell apart for Robert after that. He battled injuries the past two seasons, posting a combined .223/.288/.372 batting line with 28 home runs and 31 doubles in 856 plate appearances between 2024 and 2025. Robert stole 56 bases during that span, providing some value when he was able to get on base.
Robert showed signs of coming out of his offensive slump in the second half of 2025. He posted a .298/.352/.456 batting line in 125 plate appearances after the All-Star Break, hitting five home runs and three doubles before a strained left hamstring ended his season.
Acuna, a former top prospect, had failed to establish himself with the Mets. He had settled into a good role in New York, posting a .234/.293/.274 batting line in 193 at-bats, hitting seven doubles and stealing 16 bases. Acuna has spent time at second, short, third and center, giving the White Sox several options to get him into the lineup. Pauley, a 12th-round selection in the 2025 MLB Draft, has just 4.1 innings of professional experience. He has a four-pitch mix with a mid-90s fastball with lateral arm movement, an upper 80s sweeper, a two-plane slider and a barely used changeup.
Robert fits the Mets’ stated goal of improving their run prevention, as he saved five runs defensively in center in 2025 and is a former Gold Glove winner. Robert, along with shortstop Francisco Lindor and second baseman Marcus Semien, gives the Mets a strong defensive core in the middle with the potential for a stronger lineup in 2026.
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