Bring me Luis Robert Jr.
He's reportedly available
The Dodgers are no strangers to making blockbuster deals at the trade deadline. Over the years, we’ve seen them acquire some All-Star caliber talent.
How about another blockbuster?
The Dodgers are running away with the division and are likely going to finish with 100+ wins yet again. Despite that, they could still use some upgrades, especially on offense.
Although they are near the top in almost every offensive category out there, they could still use another bat or two. If you’ve been following the team at all this year, you’d know their 7-9 hitters have been among the worst in baseball. They are playing guys on a consistent basis with an OPS+ well below the league average.
That needs to change.
There are a couple of names out there I’m sure the team will be interested in. Maybe some veterans who will be cheap and not cost a lot. That’s fine and all, but I want this team to go big. I want them to acquire a proven bat who is going to make this lineup even deeper.
I want them to go out and acquire Luis Robert Jr.
This article is free for all subscribers. If you’d like to support my work, please consider becoming a paid subscriber for at little as $5 a month. You’ll unlock all of my articles, plus gain access to some pretty great features, including a Twitter groupchat filled with me and lots of other Dodgers fans.
This is Robert Jr.’s fifth season with the White Sox. During his time there, he’s hit .277 with a .824 OPS and 124 OPS+. Those are some pretty solid numbers.
He’s coming off the best season of his career, where he won a Silver Slugger award and finished 12th in MVP voting. Last year, Robert Jr. hit 38 home runs and posted a 129 OPS+. He was also a finalist for the Gold Glove Award.
Overall, he’s one of the best power hitting outfielders in the game. He’s also one of the best defensively as well, as he’s won a Gold Glove and has been a finalist multiple times.
According to various reports, including one from Jeff Passan, the White Sox are open to moving the 26-year-old. Trading a star like this would make sense for Chicago. They are the worst team in baseball by far and have one of the worst farm systems in the league. The next few seasons look pretty bleak, so it’d be smart for them to capitalize on their talent and re-stock the farm.
That’s where the Dodgers come into play. Not only would they be adding an All-Star and Gold Glove caliber center fielder for this season, he’d be their guy for the foreseeable future. Robert Jr. is under a very, very, very team friendly contract.
He’s making $12.5 million this season and $15 million next season. He then has two club options worth $20 million, should they be picked up. For a guy who can win a Gold Glove and hit 30+ home runs, that’s a steal.
Assuming those team options get picked up, Robert Jr. has 3.5 years of club control and is about to enter his prime. You’re locking in a center fielder through the 2028 season.
As we’ve seen this season, having a reliable outfielder is no guarantee. James Outman struggled and was optioned to the minor leagues. While he could certainly come back up and recapture what he did in 2023, that’s no guarantee. Outside of Andy Pages, who has had an up-and-down rookie campaign so far, the Dodgers don’t really have any young outfielders who appear ready for 2024 or 2025.
By adding Robert Jr., you lock down the most important outfield spot for the next 3.5 years. If they manage to hold onto Pages and/or Outman, you can put them in the corner outfield spots. Jason Heyward and Teoscar Hernandez will likely be gone next season, so there’s your outfield right there.
Considering Robert Jr.’s production and contract, he’ll likely cost quite a bit. I’m totally okay with that. You’re trading for a proven star who will produce and is affordable. Honestly, there’s nobody I wouldn’t trade to acquire him.
The only player in the farm I’m hesitant to trade is outfielder Josue De Paula. I really want the Dodgers to hang onto him. But if he has to be the center piece of a deal, make it happen. He’s only 19 years old and is at least a couple years away from debuting. He’s not going to help the Dodgers until maybe 2026 at the earliest, or possibly 2027. The Dodgers window to win a World Series is wide open right now and they need to do whatever they can to increase those chances.
If I’m putting together a trade package, I’m starting with Dalton Rushing. He’s seen by many outlets to be the Dodgers’ best prospect. I believe in the talent, but there’s no spot on the team for him in the coming years. He’s blocked at catcher by Will Smith and blocked at first base by Freddie Freeman. His value is most likely never going to be higher, so you might as well capitalize on that. Plus, the Dodgers still have a few solid catchers in the minors as well.
Attach another name or two inside the Top 10 of the system and make it happen. For Robert Jr., there isn’t a name that is worth holding onto. It’ll sting to let go of any prospect, but that’s the price you have to pay. Plus, think about all the trades the Dodgers have been in recent years at the deadline. Have any of those players panned out and turned into superstars that made the trade hurt?
No, you can’t use Yordan Alvarez as an example because he wasn’t even in the Top 30 of Dodgers prospects. That happens. The answer is no. The odds that a prospect will turn into an All-Star caliber player are so slim.
Now, I haven’t gotten to something pretty important when talking about Robert Jr. yet, and that’s his injury history.
It’s not great.
He appeared in only 68 games in 2021, 98 games in 2022 and has played only 10 games this season. He did play 145 games last season, but this is a guy that had dealt with numerous injuries.
It’s not ideal, but I’m willing to take the chance on him staying healthy. Look how it’s working out for Tyler Glasnow this year.
If the Dodgers were to acquire Robert Jr., here’s how their lineup would likely look.
Mookie Betts, SS
Shohei Ohtani, DH
Freddie Freeman, 1B
Will Smith, C
Max Muncy, 3B
Luis Robert Jr., CF
Teoscar Hernandez, LF
Jason Heyward, RF
Gavin Lux, 2B
I mean….. come on. That looks soooooo good. Now I’m sure the Dodgers will still manage to score three runs total in the NLDS with that lineup, but we’ll just wait until October for that.
Luis Robert Jr. is a superstar. Since 2020, only 18 players in all of baseball have hit 77+ home runs with a 124 OPS+ and a slugging percentage of at least .500. A lot of the players on the list are All-Stars and guys who have finished Top 5 in MVP voting. Well, Robert Jr. is one of those 18 players. Oh, did I mention he also plays Gold Glove defense in center field?
Not only is Robert Jr. an immediate upgrade to this offense for 2024, you’re securing your center fielder of the future as well at a very affordable price. Winning a World Series is very hard, as we’ve painfully learned over the last few years. The Dodgers NEED another bat. Well, there’s a pretty damn good one they can go out and get.
I have to disagree with you about Luis Robert. He’s been off and on the IL. There are other options out there to upgrade the offense in lineup & defense in LF.
Before Dodgers even address that a priority should be to resolve SS situation. Gavin Lux’s production in the Lineup isn’t worth what is being lost w\both E’s on L side of infield & Mookie Betts’ batting average by his fatigue (no matter what Roberts says). MiggyRo when he’s in the lineup whether it be at 2B or 3B has a better batting average & ops than Lux. As a matter of fact, Dodgers get the W every time MiggyRo is in the lineup. It is time to put him back where he’s earned a GG & proven in 2023 that he can lead the IF & the team to stellar performances…SS. Place Mookie back at 2B and allow him to focus solely on making those quick easy plays like he did last year; which will then let him get back to doing what he does best. Being the MVP batter\player he is.
After the last 3 series & especially after yesterday’s embarrassing defensive performance in Pittsburgh three things are apparent. One, it is time to hire a new Infield Coach. I love Dino but it’s time. These mistakes are too costly. Two, is it is time to fire RVS. Going for the big bombs is great - but when your team can’t move RISP like current Dodgers team? The Hitting Coach isn’t doing his J O B. Dodgers didn’t have this big of an issue before previous Hitting Coach left for the Rays. Three, it is time for Brandon Gomes to go. He’s made these hiring calls (along with Friedman) and lineup decisions. His total willingness to cling tight to Lux & Taylor; not diverting to a trade for a new SS or being willing to utilize MiggyRo as SS vs Mookie shows clear lack of foresight.
I’m not a fortune teller but I can see one thing for sure. If changes aren’t made soon. One of the SP’s will end up getting injured trying to cover for a lackluster defense & offense. That while Dodgers are in 1st place, it isn’t because they’re doing the “right” stuff. It is about failing forward at this point. The rest of NL West just happens to be horrible. I really don’t want to see them play the Guardians or Phillys as they are right now because it will be a massacre.
Blake, this is one that I am going to disagree with you on. It is not that I do not believe that Robert Jr. is a tremendous offensive and defensive upgrade...he is. The problem is that the cost will be too high for a player that has played in more than 100 games once in his career, and that was last year. He will probably not make it again this year.
I have no problem trading Rushing, but I do not believe he would be a top choice for CWS. They have a 2-year younger Edgar Quero playing well in AA. I am sure it would require Outman or Pages plus, plus, plus, plus. The Dodgers do not have enough elite MiLB talent outside of Rushing and De Paula.