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The Mets will hold Robert out of the first few Grapefruit League games as he works on strengthening his lower body, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports.
Per Will Sammon and Tim Britton of The Athletic, the center fielder won't see game action until the second week of the Grapefruit League schedule. Robert is healthy, but the club wants to be proactive given all the leg issues he's dealt with the last few years. The 28-year-old slashed only .223/.288/.372 while averaging 105 games played over his last two seasons with the White Sox, but he showed signs of life in the second half of 2025 with a .298/.352/.456 line before being shut down with a strained hamstring. Robert will be the Mets' everyday center fielder in 2026 for as long as he can stay healthy.
The White Sox traded Robert to the Mets on Tuesday in exchange for Luisangel Acuna and Truman Pauley, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Although he finished the 2025 campaign with a .661 OPS, Robert showed flashes of returning to his 2023 form by slashing .298/.352/.456 across 125 plate appearances after the All-Star break before a hamstring strain ended his season in late August. He also delivered his most productive season on the basepaths, tallying a career-high 33 stolen bases despite missing the final month of the year. With Jeff McNeil (shoulder), Brandon Nimmo and Cedric Mullins all having departed Queens this offseason, Robert figures to have a clear path to starting in center field every day for the Mets.
White Sox's Luis Robert: ChiSox pick up $20 million option
Rotowire
The White Sox exercised Robert's $20 million option for 2026 on Tuesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
Robert has slashed only .223/.288/.372 over 210 games covering the past two seasons and has a lengthy history of injuries. However, he hit .298/.352/.456 after the All-Star break in 2025, and the White Sox are betting on his ability to bounce back. Having a $20 million club option for 2027 surely factored into their decision, as well. Robert ended this season on the 10-day injured list with a strained hamstring, but he'll be 100 percent for spring training.
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