Pirates Eyeing Trade for White Sox Outfielder
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates haven't added a solid bat in free agency and will likely turn towards the trade market for those players.
The Pirates have prospects and pitching talent that they could trade for that talent, which other MLB teams would find desirable and likely come as cheaper than through free agency.
One trade target the Pirates reportedly have interest in is White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr., according to Francys Romero.
Romero also reported that multiple sources indicate there is a "strong chance" the White Sox will trade Robert this offseason.
What the Pirates Would Get in Luis Robert Jr.
Robert has spent the past six seasons playing center field for the White Sox, who have mostly struggled this decade with a lack of team success.
He has slashed .259/.313/.455 for an OPS of .767 in 577 games, with 318 runs scored, 565 hits, 115 doubles, 102 home runs, 102 stolen bases on 126 attempts and 149 walks to 636 strikeouts with Chicago.
Robert had his best season in 2023, where he posted career-highs in hits, home runs, doubles, RBI, and runs scored, plus a career-best slash line. He earned his sole All-Star nod and won a Silver Slugger Award.
Stat | Total |
|---|---|
Batting Average | .264 |
On-Base Percentage | .315 |
Slugging Percentage | .542 |
OPS | .857 |
Hits | 144 |
Doubles | 36 |
Home Runs | 38 |
RBI | 80 |
He has also shown great defense in his career, winning a Gold Glove Award as a rookie in 2020 with 11+ runs saved, nine defensive runs saved, five runs prevented and five outs above average (OAA).
Robert also had another strong season in center field in 2023, with the second most runs prevented (11) and OAA (12) in center field, three plus runs saved and seven defensive runs saved.
Should the Pirates Trade for Luis Robert Jr.?
The Pirates do need offense for next season, but Robert has a lot of reasons why trading for him isn't the greatest idea.
Robert makes $20 million next season on a club option on his six-year, $50 million contract he signed before ever playing a game for the White Sox.
That's easily the highest salary that anyone on the Pirates would have in 2026, if they traded for him, with right-handed starting pitcher Mitch Keller making $16.9 million next season.
Robert also has huge issues staying healthy, with his 145 games in 2023 being by far the most he's played in a full 162-game season. He played in 56 games out of a possible 60 in the 2020 season, which the COVID-19 pandemic shortened.
Season | Games Played |
|---|---|
2021 | 68 |
2022 | 98 |
2023 | 145 |
2024 | 100 |
202 | 110 |
His slash lines the past two seasons have also not impressed either, at just .224/.278/.379 for an OPS of .657 in 2024 and .223/.297/.364 for an OPS of .661 in 2025. He also hit just 14 home runs each of the past two seasons, 10 less home runs combined than his 2023 season.
The Pirates need bats for next season, but they could find better trade targets than Robert.
Will the Pirates Trade For Luis Robert Jr.?
Pittsburgh has had previous trade interest in Robert, especially at the 2024 trade deadline, where the White Sox didn't move him, just as they didn't do this past season.
The Pirates were one of the worst hitting teams in 2025, with the lowest slugging percentage (.350) and OPS (.655), the third lowest batting average (.231) and the eighth lowest on-base percentage (.305).
Pittsburgh also scored the least runs (583) and drove in the least RBIs (561), both lower than the 43-119 Colorado Rockies. They also hit the least home runs (117), 31 home runs less than the second-lowest team in the St. Louis Cardinals, at 148 home runs, and had the seventh most strikeouts (1,422).
The Pirates have targeted other bats in the free agent market, but mostly left-handed. This features Cardinals hitters like Alec Burleson, Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbaar.
It also includes left-handed second basemen like Brandon Lowe of the Tampa Bay Rays and Jeff McNeil of the New York Mets.
The Pirates reportedly looked at another right-handed hitting veteran outfielder in Nick Castellanos of the Philadelphia Phillies, so the reported interest in Robert isn't surprising.
Big market teams like the Phillies and Mets have shown interest in Robert, as they have the money to bring him on next season.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that he might end up on a team that has struggled in free agency this offseason, like the Pirates, who missed out on both Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Polanco.
Rosenthal also reported that the White Sox are open to taking on part of Robert's salary, as they look for a good return.
The Pirates, if they don't add anyone in free agency, will have to rely on the trade market to improve their lineup in 2026 and Robert could serve as their answer.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.