The Philadelphia Phillies own the best baseball record at 64-38. While the Phillies are leading the National League, they have been far from perfect. The outfield could use a boost before a potential deep postseason run. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden proposed a trade that brings Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox to Philadelphia.
Bowden pitched this three-player deal that lands Robert with the Phillies:
Phillies receive: centerfielder Luis Robert Jr.
White Sox receive: centerfielder Justin Crawford and right-handed pitcher Mick Abel
Crawford was the Phillies’ first-round pick out of high school in 2022. Already in Double-A, he is the No. 3 prospect in the organization. Abel is the No. 5 prospect and is currently in Triple-A.
Bowden noted that while Crawford is an elite prospect, “Robert is a better overall player with much more power and could be the final big piece that helps the Phillies win the World Series this year.”
Phillies Outfield Struggles
The Phillies rank No. 26 in OPS from center fielders this season. The team’s primary center fielder has been Johan Rojas. He has a .231 batting average this season.
Ultimately, the Phillies have lacked consistency from their outfield. 2023 All-Star Nick Castellanos was struggling but is starting to heat up. He has raised his average from .231 to .242 this month. Brandon Marsh has had a solid season but is in a slump right now.
Marsh is slashing .251/.330/.417. July has not been kind to him as he has just seven hits in his last 43 at-bats. Castellanos has failed to match the numbers he put up as an All-Star in 2023. Rojas played in just 59 games last season but held a .302 average.
Marsh has a 110 OPS+ this season and is the best outfielder the Phillies have by that metric. Robert has a 116 OPS+, instantly making him the best of the Phillies outfielders in that regard. He has a .265/.333/.456 slash line in July.
Robert would instantly upgrade the Phillies center field position. With Marsh in left field and a heating up Castellanos in right field, the Phillies outfield would be set for a deep run. Rojas would serve as a fourth option.
Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations, has shown he is not scared to make some big trades. This season may be another opportunity to add to that list of deals.
Robert’s Trade Market
Robert signed a six-year, $50 million contract extension with the White Sox in 2020 before even making his big league debut. However, the once No. 3 prospect in baseball has struggled with staying healthy. He has been placed on the injured list seven times since making his MLB debut in 2020. This season, Robert went on the injured list on April 6 with a right hip flexor strain.
Robert played over 100 games for the first time in his career last season. In 2023, he slashed .264/.315/.542, hitting 38 home runs and winning his first career Silver Slugger. Robert returned to the lineup on June 4. Since his return, he has 10 home runs and a .780 OPS.
Robert would demand a significant trade package as he is signed through next season and has club options in 2026 and 2027.
“The White Sox would ask for shortstop Aidan Miller straight up and the Phillies would decline. They’d then ask for right-hander Andrew Painter, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, to be in the deal and again would be turned down,” wrote Bowden. “However, a deal for Crawford and Abel should be able to get done.”
Robert would like to remain in Chicago but understands that he could be moved, and will continue to focus on baseball regardless of any trade, according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin.
“Everybody has been texting me, asking me about that, all those rumors,” Robert said through interpreter Billy Russo on June 8. “This is nothing I can control. I would like to stay here, but if the team decided otherwise, I have to keep playing baseball. If it’s here or not, I have to do what I have to do.”
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