Reds Made Right Decision by Not Trading for Former All-Star

On Tuesday night, the Chicago White Sox traded former All-Star outfielder Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets for Luisangel Acuna, brother of Ronald Acuna Jr., and right-handed pitcher Truman Pauley.

The Mets are also reportedly paying all of Robert Jr's salary, which is $20 million for the upcoming 2026 season.

As much as a lot of Reds fans wanted Robert, it would have been a hefty price to pay. Let's take a look at some of the prospects the Reds have that are valued around the same as Acuna.

Cam Collier
Aaron Watson
Stharlin Torres
Ricardo Cabrera
Hector Rodriguez

And in reality, the Reds were never going to pay the remaining $20 million left on Robert's contract, which means they most likely would have had to give up even more than the Mets did.

Over the last two seasons, Robert Jr. has slashed .224/.278/.379 and .223/.297/.364.

While the fans understandably want more offense, trading a top prospect for a player who hasn't had an OPS over .660 since 2023 and is still owed $20 million isn't a smart move.

Robert Jr. could go on to have a great season in New York, but the Reds were never going to pony up this kind of package to get him to Cincinnati.

Make sure you bookmark Cincinnati Reds Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, and daily coverage of the Cincinnati Reds!

Report: Reds Interested in Signing Familiar Face After Breakout 2025 Season

Hunter Greene Creates Unforgettable Moment for Reds Fan at Redsfest

Two More Cincinnati Reds Players Crack MLB Network’s Top 100 Players List

Report: Multiple Teams Interested in Trading for Key Players on Reds Roster

Reds Star Elly De La Cruz Reveals Status for World Baseball Classic

Cincinnati Reds 2025 Draft Pick Opens Up on Tough Start to Professional Career

Why Elly De La Cruz Turned Down Reds Record Breaking Offer

Cincinnati Reds Announce 2025 Organization Award Winners

One-on-One With New Reds Outfielder Dane Myers

One-on-One With Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Rhett Lowder