The Philadelphia Phillies have had ties to Luis Robert Jr. for about two years.
With the Chicago White Sox in the midst of a rebuild, they’ve decided to overhaul their roster, leading them to finish with the worst modern MLB record last season, despite still having some star players.
The Phillies made an attempt to capitalize on this at last year’s trade deadline. Talks surrounding Garrett Crochet nearly came to a deal at the last minute, and while the two sides revisited discussions this winter, nothing came to fruition.
Despite the ongoing rumors and connections between Robert and Philadelphia, a trade never seemed close to happening. Even as the Phillies knew they needed to strengthen their outfield, Robert was not a player that general manager Dave Dombrowski actively pursued.
The White Sox’s high asking price for their top players could have deterred the Phillies, especially for a player with a history of injuries and a career 27% strikeout rate, which has surpassed 30% twice.
Thus, the news from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, saying Chicago is likely to hold onto Robert into spring training after failing to finalize a trade this winter, might not be disappointing for Philadelphia.
Robert could potentially be moved mid-season, depending on how the White Sox perform, which could be an option for the Phillies. However, that comes with its own risks.
Rosenthal points out that the White Sox kept Dylan Cease through spring training last year before eventually trading him to the Padres in March, which adds another layer of intrigue.
Ultimately, while Robert has long been linked to the Phillies and seems like a good fit, there’s still something preventing Dombrowski from pulling the trigger on a deal.
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