Reds free agent signing gives NY Mets a clearer path for a trade with the White Sox

JJ Bleday is coming to the Cincinnati Reds. Non-tendered by the Athletics, he looks to be a candidate to take over in center field next season on a $1.4 million deal with incentives. Why would a New York Mets fan care an ounce about this?

Earlier this week, the latest on Luis Robert Jr. had the Mets and Reds among the top suitors for the Chicago White Sox center fielder. With the Reds balking at a trade (at least for now) and filling their center field need with a player who might work best in a platoon, it would appear they’ve moved on from the idea of trading for Robert and will go with a far less expensive option.

It’s looking like everyone is getting fed up with trying to trade for Luis Robert Jr.

The Mets don’t need to rush to trade for Robert. He didn’t move at the trade deadline even though the White Sox had every reason to sell him. They weren’t going anywhere. Despite some offseason additions, including Munetaka Murakami as their biggest and most pleasant surprise, it doesn’t appear they’ll do anything more than maybe battle for 75 wins.

The White Sox are on the rise, but could they have really been trending downward? Trading Robert away for more controllable players is the last major move they need to make to significantly change the guard over. It’s the Chicago Cubs who have the reputation as baseball’s cursed franchise when in actuality the White Sox have been just as, if not worse, in their history.

For the Mets, they need more than a center fielder. Left field is barren. There isn’t any chance they begin next year with Tyrone Taylor in center field and Carson Benge in left field. They can go big at one position and lighter at the other. Something like signing Austin Hays for left field and trading for Robert isn’t so bad. Signing Cody Bellinger and letting Taylor start the year in center field with a plan of seeing Benge take over at some point works in its own way.

Center field is often one of the hardest positions to fill. Just tell the Mets. They’ve tried and failed with Cedric Mullins, Jose Siri, and to some extent with Harrison Bader in 2024. Bader had a much better 2025 season, likely earning himself a better contract, or so he hopes.

The White Sox are holding out for something, either better players and/or more salary taken in a Robert trade. The Mets have the financial flexibility and prospects to make the trade happen. However, the real question is whether or not Robert packs the true punch missing from the lineup. He fits the short-term, run prevention model fans were pitched at the start of the offseason. If the Reds are out on Robert, the Mets’ chances of getting Robert just got a little bit better.