Cardinals Pros and Cons of Bringing In Orioles' Luis Robert Jr.

With the 2026 World Series now behind us, we've already seen plenty of action across the league with option decisions starting to pop up.

On Thursday, an intriguing report surfaced that should have the St. Louis Cardinals' attention. Francys Romero of BeisbolFR reported that the Baltimore Orioles are expected to decline outfielder Luis Robert Jr.'s $20 million club option for the 2027 season.

"Sources: The Baltimore Orioles are expected to decline Luis Robert Jr.’s $20 million option for 2027," Romero wrote. "The Orioles would pay a $2 million buyout, and Robert will become a free agent at age 29."

Robert is a player the Cardinals should look into this winter. He's just 29 years old and when he's healthy, he can be elite. But should St. Louis look to make a move?

Pros

Sep 3, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) reacts to hitting a home run as he rounds the bases against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Robert is a one-time All-Star, one-time Gold Glove Award winner and a one-time Silver Slugger Award winner. The best season of his career came in 2023 as a member of the Chicago White Sox. That year, Robert hit 38 home runs, drove in 80 runs and slashed .264/.315/.542 with an .857 OPS in 145 games played.

At that point, he looked like he was about to become one of the brightest young stars in the game. But injuries derailed him. He played in just 100 games in 2024 and 110 games in 2025. In 2026, he played in only 61 games. But he's young and likely will need to settle for a cheap, prove-it deal after his option is declined. He needs to rebuild his value in 2027. So, there would be even more motivation to succeed. The Cardinals have actually done a good job from a health perspective. If there were a team that could keep him healthy, it would be St. Louis.

The Cardinals have Nathan Church and Victor Scott II out in center field right now, but when Robert is at his best, he's a better player. Or, at least has more upside. If the Cardinals were to bring him in and he returned to form, he'd be an excellent trade deadline candidate.

Cons

The only con here is his injury history. This is a guy who has all of the talent in the world, but has simply been unable to stay healthy. There's a real chance that if the Cardinals signed him, he would never play significant time. That's just the way you have to think after the last few years.

On the bright side, the Cardinals would be covered in that scenario with someone like Church. But injuries are still worth thinking about here.

Add us as a preferred source on Google