Lots of Robert talk on the Reds forum recently.  Most posters seem very unexcited about the idea and do the “I’ll take him if the Sox cover half his salary and he costs nothing in terms of prospects”…lol.  The reality in my mind is the Reds need to take a big swing via trade in hopes of landing an impact player or risk being stuck in baseball purgatory for the near future.  I think Robert is the perfect move for them because he won’t cost a premium prospect but comes with a very high ceiling if all goes right.  Fans don’t normally love that, but a GM who is handicapped by their cheap owners and is feeling some pressure to win may feel differently.  I think if a deal happens before OD, it’s very likely going to be with Cincinnati.

4 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Lots of Robert talk on the Reds forum recently.  Most posters seem very unexcited about the idea and do the “I’ll take him if the Sox cover half his salary and he costs nothing in terms of prospects”…lol.  The reality in my mind is the Reds need to take a big swing via trade in hopes of landing an impact player or risk being stuck in baseball purgatory for the near future.  I think Robert is the perfect move for them because he won’t cost a premium prospect but comes with a very high ceiling if all goes right.  Fans don’t normally love that, but a GM who is handicapped by their cheap owners and is feeling some pressure to win may feel differently.  I think if a deal happens before OD, it’s very likely going to be with Cincinnati.

I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t be that excited either.

Edited December 24, 2025Dec 24 by Bob Sacamano

Injuries aside, I love the idea of him playing on a Francona managed team and he has so much more upside than a Bader or some of the alternatives. I would prefer to keep him especially with some lineup support but I’ve come to grips with him not being in the lineup come March

6 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t be that excited either.

It looks to me like the cost to the Reds is hovering around something like Mason Adams and an alternate reality Samuel Zavala who played his way up to AA in '25. That, plus the competitive balance pick. That looks like a no-brainer. 

17 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Lots of Robert talk on the Reds forum recently.  Most posters seem very unexcited about the idea and do the “I’ll take him if the Sox cover half his salary and he costs nothing in terms of prospects”…lol.  The reality in my mind is the Reds need to take a big swing via trade in hopes of landing an impact player or risk being stuck in baseball purgatory for the near future.  I think Robert is the perfect move for them because he won’t cost a premium prospect but comes with a very high ceiling if all goes right.  Fans don’t normally love that, but a GM who is handicapped by their cheap owners and is feeling some pressure to win may feel differently.  I think if a deal happens before OD, it’s very likely going to be with Cincinnati.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/articles/5-contenders-already-cemented-bad-003505696.html

Padres Guardians Reds Pirates Marlins Cubs all stuck in baseball purgatory.

Some Cubs' fans even worried they might have All Star game offer withdrawn.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Whisox05 said:

 

 

They also already have TJ Friedl...so someone would need to move to a corner.

I'd be excited to acquire him for a mid level prospect and at half the salary. We could talk about him rebounding, etc. In this case it will be better to receive than to give. But reality is we have him. I keep thinking that him in the line up in 2026 only makes sense in the altered reality at 35th and Wentworth*. 

 

*Shields just hasn't made sense to me. 

41 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t be that excited either.

Honestly, I’d be ecstatic about the idea if I were a Reds fan.  Prospect hugging B tier guys while shooting for 80 wins doesn’t seem like a lot of fun to me.  I’d much rather take a calculated risk and hope Robert can stay healthy and return to form offensively (which he flashed prior to injury last year) in a new environment.

22 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

They also already have TJ Friedl...so someone would need to move to a corner.

Friedl would move to LF…problem solved

59 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Lots of Robert talk on the Reds forum recently.  Most posters seem very unexcited about the idea and do the “I’ll take him if the Sox cover half his salary and he costs nothing in terms of prospects”…lol.  The reality in my mind is the Reds need to take a big swing via trade in hopes of landing an impact player or risk being stuck in baseball purgatory for the near future.  I think Robert is the perfect move for them because he won’t cost a premium prospect but comes with a very high ceiling if all goes right.  Fans don’t normally love that, but a GM who is handicapped by their cheap owners and is feeling some pressure to win may feel differently.  I think if a deal happens before OD, it’s very likely going to be with Cincinnati.

Agreed. And they are a good fit compensation wise with the Sox. 

I think if we can leverage the NYM interest a bit longer maybe we can pull whatever second piece Getz has his eye on.

I do hope that the CF plan isn't just Baldwin or Pereira. I'd like to see them send Cannon to HOU for Meyers or make a big trade with Quero for a good young CF MLBer or prospect. 

11 minutes ago, SoCalChiSox said:

Agreed. And they are a good fit compensation wise with the Sox. 

I think if we can leverage the NYM interest a bit longer maybe we can pull whatever second piece Getz has his eye on.

I do hope that the CF plan isn't just Baldwin or Pereira. I'd like to see them send Cannon to HOU for Meyers or make a big trade with Quero for a good young CF MLBer or prospect. 

I’m actually ok with Baldwin being the guy in CF if we move Robert.  I’m certainly not against trading for a CF prospect if the right deal came along, but don’t really see the allure of trading for a 29 year old CF with two years of control.  If we need a cheap placeholder somewhere, go get that guy in free agency.  Otherwise, trades need to focus on controllable players IMO.

36 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Friedl would move to LF…problem solved

It might even be worth moving Robert out of CF to see if that keeps him a bit healthier.

47 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Honestly, I’d be ecstatic about the idea if I were a Reds fan.  Prospect hugging B tier guys while shooting for 80 wins doesn’t seem like a lot of fun to me.  I’d much rather take a calculated risk and hope Robert can stay healthy and return to form offensively (which he flashed prior to injury last year) in a new environment.

As a buy low. I wouldn’t want my team giving up much.

Edited December 24, 2025Dec 24 by Bob Sacamano

50 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Honestly, I’d be ecstatic about the idea if I were a Reds fan.  Prospect hugging B tier guys while shooting for 80 wins doesn’t seem like a lot of fun to me.  I’d much rather take a calculated risk and hope Robert can stay healthy and return to form offensively (which he flashed prior to injury last year) in a new environment.

It's kind of the same gamble we just took with Murakami.  It isn't a slam dunk type move, but one that if it works out would be a HUGE add.

As someone who is currently dating a Reds fan, I hope this happens lol. Told her I might buy a Robert jersey out of principle. 

1 hour ago, SoxAce said:

As someone who is currently dating a Reds fan, I hope this happens lol. Told her I might buy a Robert jersey out of principle. 

As someone surrounded by Mets family, friends and co-workers, I want the Luis Robert Mets jersey after they failed to re-sign Quintana (who I would have gotten)

“Shipping Brandon Nimmo to Texas created so much attention around the opening in left field that it's easy to forget that the Mets have needed a legitimate starting center fielder for over a year now…Sure, he could always just throw Steve Cohen's money at Kyle Tucker. If that's off the table, though, why not Robert? There really isn't anyone else available (aside from Tucker) with his upside, and his excellent defense in center would allow Benge to shine in a corner and give New York quality gloves alongside Juan Soto. Plus, the Mets have exactly the pitching depth that Chicago reportedly covets,” Landers wrote.

yahoosports.com

Except they won't trade Teng or Sproat for Robert even if the White Sox wrote a $20 million check...

 

Edited December 24, 2025Dec 24 by caulfield12

31 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

“Shipping Brandon Nimmo to Texas created so much attention around the opening in left field that it's easy to forget that the Mets have needed a legitimate starting center fielder for over a year now…Sure, he could always just throw Steve Cohen's money at Kyle Tucker. If that's off the table, though, why not Robert? There really isn't anyone else available (aside from Tucker) with his upside, and his excellent defense in center would allow Benge to shine in a corner and give New York quality gloves alongside Juan Soto. Plus, the Mets have exactly the pitching depth that Chicago reportedly covets,” Landers wrote.

yahoosports.com

Except they won't trade Teng or Sproat for Robert even if the White Sox wrote a $20 million check...

 

Weird. I saw a report just today that said they would consider making those guys available. Not for Robert, specifically, but more generally, to fill holes. 

 

 

32 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Weird. I saw a report just today that said they would consider making those guys available. Not for Robert, specifically, but more generally, to fill holes. 

For Pivetta and Mason Miller lol.

I can't help but wonder, if Robert Jr gets traded, who plays center for the team?  Are they trading him because he's making $20 million dollars? If he was  making $5 million dollars would he still be traded?

31 minutes ago, Whisox05 said:

 

 

God I hope it is. Give me one of the starters talked about, the comp pick and an OF prospect. Prob an overpay for how he’s currently viewed but I want it lol

Just now, WBWSF said:

I can't help but wonder, if Robert Jr gets traded, who plays center for the team?  Are they trading him because he's making $20 million dollars? If he was  making $5 million dollars would he still be traded?

If he were making $5M, it would be easier to deal him. If they flat out just didn’t want to pay him, they wouldn’t have picked up the option.

14 minutes ago, WBWSF said:

I can't help but wonder, if Robert Jr gets traded, who plays center for the team?  Are they trading him because he's making $20 million dollars? If he was  making $5 million dollars would he still be traded?

It doesn't matter.