What’s Next for the Mets After Adding Luis Robert Jr.

The Mets made one outfield move by trading for Luis Robert Jr., but they may still have another one up their sleeves.

Sep 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Cincinnati Reds left fielder Austin Hays (12) hits a single during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The outfield was a big area of need for the New York Mets entering the week as they had just three on their 40-man roster: Juan Soto, Tyrone Taylor and prospect Nick Morabito, who has never had a big league at-bat. The Mets made a big step towards rectifying that when they swung a trade with the Chicago White Sox late on Tuesday night to finally land center fielder Luis Robert Jr.

Mets reportedly acquire OF Luis Robert Jr. from White Sox for INF Luisangel Acuña and RHP Truman Pauley, per multiple reports including MLB's @Feinsand. pic.twitter.com/CBDVNyx4pu

— MLB (@MLB) January 21, 2026

The addition of Robert has been in the making for a long time as the Mets tried to trade for him prior to last season's deadline before pivoting to Cedric Mullins. Robert's issues with the bat the last few years have been pronounced but he is still an elite defender with plus speed, making him worth the risk on what is essentially a one-year deal worth $20 million with an option for a second year at the same rate.

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

The plan appears to be for Robert to play center field with top prospect Carson Benge set to get a crack at the left field spot, which may be a better fit for him defensively. Even if Benge is able to seize the left field job, the Mets would appear to be one outfielder short of the standard five if they don't plan on carrying two rookies out there.

Where Mets Could Look for More Outfield Help

The addition of Robert came at an interesting time as the Mets were still engaged in talks for the top remaining free agent position player, Cody Bellinger, as of Tuesday afternoon. Bellinger is a good roster fit for the Mets since he can cover them at three positions (left and center field as well as first base), but it seems unlikely the Mets are still in on him after the Robert move.

Cody Bellinger is weighing interest from the Yankees, Mets and two others

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 21, 2026

The Mets likely offered Bellinger a contract similar to the one they gave to Bo Bichette, a short-term pact with a high annual salary and the ability to opt out several times. Since David Stearns is still looking for starting pitching upgrades and even Steve Cohen likely has an upper limit to what he wants to pay on luxury tax bills, Bellinger is a bit luxurious for their remaining needs.

Cardinals, Yankees and Mets are among many teams who’ve maintained contact with free agent OF Austin Hays, who was fully healthy and had a very nice season in 2025. Cody Bellinger remains the top OF target of the two NY teams.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 20, 2026

Expect a pivot towards a more traditional reserve outfielder type from the Mets, particularly towards a player who hits right-handed to give them the ability to shield Benge from tough lefties as a rookie. The Mets have often been linked to Austin Hays, who hit .319 with a .949 OPS against left-handed pitching in 2025, and may make a more concerted effort to sign him.

Another option that could fit that mold for the Mets is a reunion with Starling Marte, who was a popular presence in the clubhouse a year ago. Marte is not an everyday player at this stage of his career, but could offer the Mets some insurance against Benge failing to seize the left field job out of spring training.

Making a pickup like that would allow the Mets to leave Morabito in Triple-A to get regular at-bats and be the first call up if someone needs to hit the injured list. Hays may be the preferred option for Stearns over Marte since it's not clear if Marte can regularly play left field at his age, but either option makes more sense than overpaying for Bellinger on a short term contract.

This kind of move could fall on the back burner for a minute if Stearns shifts his focus more towards upgrading the top of the Mets' rotation. Framber Valdez, who has ties to Stearns from their time in Houston, is the top free agent available while the Mets could also make calls to see if they can acquire either Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta or Detroit's Tarik Skubal in a trade.

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