A.J. Pierzynski Reacts To White Sox Trading Luis Robert Jr.

The White Sox made a significant trade last week, sending former All-Star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and his $20 million contract to the New York Mets in exchange for infielder/outfielder Luisangel Acuña and minor-league pitcher Truman Pauley.

The trade sparked debate, given that Robert posted strong numbers in 2023, but regressed over the last two seasons and dealt with injuries.

In a recent episode of Foul Territory, former White Sox World Series-winning catcher A.J. Pierzynski called it a no-brainer trade for the Mets. They gave up what he considers a low-level prospect in Pauley and a utility player in Acuña, who couldn't break through in his first two major league seasons, in exchange for a high-ceiling player in Robert, who has a club option for 2027.

But from the White Sox perspective, Pierzynski had some questions.

"[Acuña's] career major league OPS is .640, so am I supposed to be excited about that?" Pierzynski said. "His career minor league OPS is .751, okay."

"Here's my thing with this whole trade. Obviously as a White Sox fan, I'm happy that Luis Robert is gone on this team," Pierzynski continued. "Because at $20 million, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense when your payroll is like $80 million to have one guy making a quarter of it. Now their payroll is down in the 60s, and Chris Getz said that they're gonna be allowed to spend that $20 million."

"So why did you not just release him before the season and not pick up the option, and then you have $20 million to spend for the whole offseason instead of two weeks or three weeks before spring training starts, when the free agent market has already been picked through, right?"

The argument against that is at least the White Sox got two players in return, as opposed to releasing Robert for nothing. But Pierzynski is right that the timing of the trade may have limited Getz's options in free agency.

Shortly after the trade, Getz spent a chunk of Robert's outgoing salary on right-handed pitcher Seranthony Dominguez, who signed a two-year, $20 million contract and figures to be a top candidate to close games for the White Sox in 2026.

In addition to the timing of the trade as it relates to free agency, Pierzynski felt the White Sox could have gotten more for Robert a year or two ago, when his value was higher.

"To me, this trade should have maybe happened after the '23 season when he was really good," Pierzynski said. "Because the last two years, Luis Robert Jr. has not been very good. He can't stay on the field. Now the Mets, here's what they're banking on. Free agent year, change of scenery, maybe better players around him –- depending on how you look at it, which I think you can honestly say –– and he's gonna be motivated and they're gonna get a great year and they bought the [Scott Boras] hype."

There's still a path to this being a good trade for the White Sox, Pierzynski acknowledged, but a lot of things have to go right to get there.

"Acuña turns into something and Pauley turns into something, and they spend the $20 million like they said they're going to, and they get some decent trades with those guys –– whoever they sign –– and they can trade them, then I'll applaud this trade from the White Sox side," Pierzynski said. "But to me, they could have just released him in the offseason, got nothing, or traded him a year ago or two years ago, and probably gotten more. Because two years ago, especially after '23, they knew they weren't gonna be any good in '24. They could have traded him away and gotten a haul, and they held onto him because they were afraid he might turn into something."

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