The New York Mets are in a good position to compete for a wild card spot for the playoffs this season. After a slow start, the Mets are one of the best teams since June 1, one of the top offensive teams in the league in terms of wRC+.
However, some players in the lineup have seen their performance decline, calling into question the offensive sustainability of this team moving forward. The Mets will have a conservative approach heading into the trade deadline, but this should not prevent them from bidding for Chicago White Sox star outfielder Luis Robert Jr.
The Mets should offer Drew Gilbert, Ronny Mauricio, Alex Ramirez, and Calvin Ziegler for Luis Robert Jr.
The Chicago White Sox are in a complete sale of their roster to complete a rebuilding that began last preseason. Robert is one of the most intriguing profiles on the market. It is undoubtedly the best bat in terms of the potential but he has seen its career affected by multiple injuries.
Regardless of this, the cost to acquire Robert will be high, a center fielder with speed who is coming off a 2023 All-Star season, where he hit 38 home runs and managed to obtain a Silver Slugger award.
The White Sox would receive a top 50 baseball prospect in the form of Drew Gilbert, who could be with the team from opening day in 2025. Likewise, Ronny Mauricio, a fringe top 100 prospect, would be an intriguing player for this team from Chicago for his power already demonstrated in MLB.
Additionally, former top 100 prospect Alex Ramirez would gain a change of scenery after his performance on the plate has declined the last two seasons in the minor leagues. Finally, Calvin Ziegler, the Mets' 22nd prospect who is barely in the Class A circuit, is an interesting profile for having a combination of fastball and curveball well above average according to scouts.
For many, this would be an exaggerated package for a player who has been plagued by multiple injuries in his career but who, in health, has demonstrated an elite level in MLB. The control that the Mets would acquire in this trade for a player with two guaranteed seasons and two club options of $20 million each must be taken into account, guaranteeing Robert's services with the team until 2027.