Trade Proposal Sends White Sox Slugger to Division-Rival Guardians

The Chicago White Sox are in a deep rebuild, and their MLB-worst 17-51 record this season has confirmed that the team is at least a few seasons away from contention conversations. With the July 30 trade deadline approaching, the White Sox are expected to listen to offers on an extensive list of their top players as they continue to build for the future, and one division-rival team is likely to be very interested in the opportunity to add All-Star outfielder Luis Robert Jr. to their roster — the Cleveland Guardians.

On June 7, a trade proposal by Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer suggested that in order to get Robert, the Guardians could put together a package of three top prospects.

• Guardians receive: OF Luis Robert Jr.
• White Sox receive: 1B Kyle Manzardo (Guardians No. 2, MLB No. 60), OF Jaison Chourio (Guardians No. 3, MLB No. 97), 2B Juan Brito (Guardians No. 4)

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Center Field ‘A Candidate for a Better Hitter’ As Guardians Aim For Playoff Berth

As of June 12, the Guardians are leading the AL Central and ranked fourth in MLB with a 43-22 record, only behind the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Baltimore Orioles. With their closest division rival, the Kansas City Royals, trailing by 5.5 games, the Guardians are poised for a playoff berth, if they can maintain their current momentum.

In his third year in the majors, the Guardians’ current center fielder Tyler Freeman is slashing .223/.318/.371 with a .689 OPS and 6 home runs. According to Rymer, it’s a position that’s “a candidate for a better hitter if the Guardians seek to lengthen their lineup,” and acquiring Robert as the everyday center fielder could certainly bring that improvement.

According to TeamRankings, the Guardians rank fourth in MLB in team runs per game (5.08), but 10th in OPS (0.719) and slugging (0.400). José Ramírez and Josh Naylor have posted the large majority of the team’s home runs this season with 18 and 17 respectively, and Steven Kwan has been making up for lost time with a .380 batting average after spending time on the IL, but if the team want to play deep into October, bolstering the lineup with another power-hitter should be a priority.

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Robert’s Ongoing Injury Issues 

On paper, Robert‘s current .182/.237/.491 slashline certainly doesn’t appear to be an upgrade for the Guardians, but when he’s healthy, the 26-year-old is one of the best players in MLB. Robert spent two months on the IL after suffering a right hip flexor strain on April 5, but once he returned to the White Sox’s lineup on June 5, he promptly hit 3 home runs in 6 games.

Last season, Robert slashed .264/.315/.542 with a career-high 38 home runs, earning him a spot in the All-Star Game and his first Silver Slugger Award. In 2022, he slashed .284/.319/.426. The only concern for a team looking to add Robert is his extensive history with injuries — since his MLB debut in 2020, he has been place on the IL seven times.

Still, if the Guardians can keep him healthy, there’s no question that Robert would be a powerful addition to their batting lineup, and potentially even the difference-maker in securing a playoff campaign.

“Robert could be helpful in holding off the Royals,” Rymer wrote. “Apropos of his success at Kauffman Stadium, it’s not surprising that his nine homers against them are his most against any team.”

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