The New York Mets have several trade deadline needs, one of which is center field. Jeff McNeil has played the position admirably when needed, but do the Mets really want to play him there every day, especially in bigger ballparks? Tyrone Taylor is an excellent defender, but his bat has made him virtually unstartable. Jose Siri was supposed to provide a combination of Gold Glove-caliber defense, speed and power, but he's been hurt for much of the year, and it's anyone's best guess when he'll be back. With that in mind, adding a center fielder makes a lot of sense, and Luis Robert Jr. might be the best option out there. Unsurprisingly, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand believes that the Mets have been one of the most aggressive teams in the Robert sweepstakes and might even be the frontrunner.
"According to sources, the Mets have been one of the more aggressive teams in their pursuit of Robert, with one source taking it to another level by calling New York “the frontrunner.” The Padres and Phillies are among the other teams said to have interest in Robert," Feinsand wrote.
Acquiring Robert would involve a decent amount of risk, but also a chance for massive reward. He's hitting just .206 with a .643 OPS this season, but he's hitting .319 with a .950 OPS in July, and just two seasons ago, he hit 38 home runs and stole 20 bases while receiving down-ballot MVP votes. He hasn't hit much since that breakout 2023 campaign, but part of that could realistically be attributed to playing for a disaster of a White Sox team. A change of scenery and joining a contender could help turn his career back in the right direction.
The White Sox will get something of value for Robert, considering his upside and the fact that he comes with two additional years of club control via a pair of $20 million club options, but the Mets won't have to part with any of their high-end prospects.
New York should not consider trading Mark Vientos for Robert, but there are several players that should be on the chopping block in a potential Robert deal.
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3. Drew Gilbert, OF
Drew Gilbert was the centerpiece of the trade that sent Justin Verlander back to the Houston Astros at the 2023 trade deadline, so giving up on him before he even reaches the majors would be a bit of a tough pil to swallow, but if the Mets are acquiring Robert, it makes sense to trade Gilbert away.
With Robert in the mix and Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto entrenched in the corner outfield spots, where is their room for Gilbert? He could play center field if the Mets decline Robert's club option, but are the Mets really in a position to bank on a rookie who, prior to his recent hot stretch in Triple-A, was rapidly falling in prospect rankings? I mean, even with his high level of play lately, his .785 OPS overall is far from extraordinary.
Trading prospects away is never fun, but you have to give to get. Trading Gilbert for a player with Robert's ceiling makes a whole lot of sense.
2. Blade Tidwell, RHP
Speaking of prospects Mets fans won't want to see go, Blade Tidwell has been a top pitching prospect in the organization since he was selected in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft. While there's obvious upside to dream of, he's allowed 15 runs in 15 big league innings across four outings with the Mets this season, and the Mets have three pitching prospects - Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat - who are a tier or two above him.
Sure, it'd be nice to see what Tidwell can do in the majors in a larger sample size before cutting bait, but the Mets have several other pitching prospects on the verge of being MLB-ready, and it's hard to envision Tidwell ever cracking the rotation full-time in Queens.
For a White Sox team that could use starting pitching, though, adding an intriguing prospect like Tidwell, New York's No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline, would be a great get, especially since he can contribute in the majors right away.
1. Luisangel Acuña, INF/OF
Later in the piece, Feinsand noted that Luisangel Acuña is one name being discussed between the Mets and White Sox in a Robert trade. With all due respect to Acuña, if he can be the centerpiece of a Robert trade, the Mets should pounce immediately.
Acuña offers tremendous speed and base-stealing ability, much like his brother, and is a solid defender at three infield positions and even center field, but his bat leaves a lot to be desired. In 175 plate appearances this season, Acuña has just seven extra-base hits (all doubles), a sub-.300 on-base percentage, and a .578 OPS.
To be fair, his chances at the plate have been few and far between, particularly lately, and he might thrive in more of a regular role, but the Mets aren't a team that can give him said opportunity. He's been a useful piece off the bench due largely to his running ability, but the Mets can easily find a replacement for that role. It's a no-brainer to move Acuña if he's valued highly by Chicago.