Mets Unsurprisingly Receive Mediocre Grade for Luis Robert Jr. Trade

What grade did the New York Mets receive for the trade that brought in Luis Robert Jr?

Aug 24, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) singles against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Rate Field. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have made a fairly significant splash on the trade market with the acquisition of Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Luisangel Acuña and Truman Pauley. However, will this deal benefit the Mets?

Read More: What Luis Robert Jr. Brings to the New York Mets

Following the addition of Bo Bichette in free agency, the offseason is starting to turn around for New York. Even though it might have taken a little while to get going, the team has started to reshape the roster and add some talent.

Getting Bichette was a bit of a surprise, but the talented slugger will undoubtedly help the team offensively. However, it was the outfield that the team was likely trying to prioritize upgrading with their pursuit of Kyle Tucker, before he ultimately chose to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

While there was speculation that Cody Bellinger could still be an option following the addition of Bichette, getting Robert likely decreases the chances of that happening. This was certainly an interesting addition for the Mets, and Robert seems like a high-risk, high-reward addition.

Bradford Doolittle of ESPN recently gave the Mets a mediocre grade of a C+ for their acquisition of Robert, with the value of the trade not being the best for New York.

Will This Deal Work Out?

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

With money not being much of an issue for the Mets, taking on Robert's contract isn’t as big a deal as it would be for other teams. That is a major factor in determining whether or not they got the best value for this deal, and factoring in the money, they likely did not.

A lot of the intrigue surrounding Robert stems from the amazing campaign that he had in 2023. He was an All-Star that year, slashing .264/.315/.542 with 38 home runs, 80 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. The talented slugger is also a very strong defender, but there are some concerns that come along with him as well.

For the last two years, staying on the field has been a bit of an issue for the former All-Star, and his offensive numbers have not been nearly as good as they were in 2023. Last season, he hit just .223/.297/.364 with 14 home runs, 53 RBI, and 33 stolen bases in 110 games played.

Nonetheless, Robert clearly has potential and this deal could end up working out for the Mets if he reaches it. As for what the team gave up, Acuña hasn’t quite lived up to expectations and New York has plenty of other young options in their system.

The grade of a C+ for the Mets might be a bit generous from a value perspective, but there is a lot of upside that Luis Robert Jr. possesses that could make this a great deal.

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