Mets Acquire Luis Robert Jr.

The 2026 Mets are taking shape.

Jeff Passan of ESPN reported late Tuesday night that the Mets acquired OF Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox in return for INF Luisangel Acuña and RHP Truman Pauley.

Per Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets will take on all of Robert’s $20 million contract for 2025, and have a club option on the outfielder for 2027 ($20 million) or a buyout ($2 million).

Robert Jr., 28, owns a career .259/.313/.455 (.767 OPS) in 577 games, with 102 home runs and 298 RBIs. He had a down year in 2024 and 2025, both injury-riddled seasons. In 210 games, he compiled a .223/.288/.372 line with just 28 HRs and 88 RBIs. However, he was an All-Star and Silver Slugger recipient in 2023, and received a Gold Glove in his rookie year (2020).

A plus-outfielder, the 28-year-old posted a +7 OAA in 2025 (93rd percentile), and has never ranked below +1 OAA in his career. The Mets have been in desperate need of an outfielder, especially after the departures of Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil cleared two spots on the lineup card. Robert Jr. now slides into center field, with a spot still open for top prospect Carson Benge.

When Robert Jr. is at the top of his game, he possesses elite speed (102 SB, 90th percentile sprint speed in 2025) and can hit the ball hard and provide a Gold Glove in the field.

With the arrivals of Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette, Luisangel Acuña’s playing time was all but gone. Acuña ends his time in New York with a .299/.341/.640 line in just 109 games. He now headlines the return along with Truman Pauley, the Mets’ 12th-round pick in the 2025 Draft.

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