Report: Reds explored trade with White Sox for Robert
The Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox were on the verge of completing a blockbuster trade before it ultimately fell through.
Cincinnati was working to acquire outfielder Luis Robert Jr., but talks ended Sunday due to disagreements over how much of his salary Chicago would retain, sources told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon.
The 27-year-old is owed $15 million in 2025 and has club options for 2026 and 2027 at $20 million apiece, each with a $2-million buyout.
Prospect Edwin Arroyo was among the names discussed in a potential return for Robert, who also drew interest from the San Francisco Giants earlier in the offseason, Rosenthal and Sammon report.
Cincinnati decided to instead shore up its outfield by signing Austin Hays to a reported one-year deal worth $5 million.
Robert is coming off a down season for the lowly White Sox in which he slashed just .224/.278/.379 with 14 home runs and 23 stolen bases. He struck out 141 times in 425 plate appearances.
He fared much better in 2023, accruing 4.9 fWAR while setting personal bests in home runs (38) and RBIs (80). It remains the only year of his career in which he played in more than 100 games.
Robert owns a .790 OPS (117 OPS+) across five MLB campaigns.