GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Barring something unexpected, Luis Robert Jr. will sit near the top of the 2025 White Sox starting lineup Thursday against the Angels at Rate Field patrolling the same center field locale the 27-year-old has anchored since his rookie season of 2020.
But even with Spring Training coming to an end soon, Robert understands his time remaining on the South Side might be short-lived as the center of trade talks for this rebuilding team.
¡°I know the possibility still exists,¡± Robert told MLB.com Friday at Camelback Ranch, through interpreter Billy Russo. ¡°But right now, I¡¯m here and I¡¯m excited to be here and ready to play.
¡°From the business perspective, yes, I know there is a big chance of me being traded because it makes sense for the team and for the situation. I understand that. That¡¯s something I have to live with and I will have to accept.¡±
Robert has a refreshingly honest and straightforward approach to his situation. He wants to win but also wants to win with the White Sox.
When asked Friday morning if there was a championship path to be followed for the White Sox if he were to stay with the team, Robert briefly laughed to himself. He thought for a few seconds about the answer and then said he didn¡¯t know.
¡°If I stay here with my actual contract, it will be just two more seasons: This one and two more,¡± said Robert, who earns $15 million in ¡®25 with $20 million club options for ¡®26 and ¡®27 and a $2 million buyout each season. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we are going to be ready to compete for a World Series title in three years.
¡°You can¡¯t think too [far] ahead because you have to live in the present. I¡¯m here with this team and I¡¯m glad to be here. If the situation were different, if I was a free agent, I would have the chance to pick or choose. But right now, I¡¯m here, and that¡¯s all that matters. I want to be here and I want to help this team to win games.¡±
Any idea of talks with general manager Chris Getz about finding some sort of trade resolution sooner than later was met with a simple ¡°no¡± from Robert. With the regular season soon beginning, Robert once again needs to put aside and play through potential rumors.
¡°That¡¯s what I have to do because if I don¡¯t perform, I wouldn¡¯t help myself,¡± Robert said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t help the team, and nobody will be interested in me.¡±
Entering a personal off-day on Friday, Robert featured a .268/.375/.439 slash line with two home runs and one double over 41 at-bats this spring. But Robert took special notice of the six walks (against 13 strikeouts) drawn during Cactus League action.
¡°I think I¡¯ve got the most walks I ever had in any Spring Training, and one of my goals was to see a lot of pitches,¡± Robert said. ¡°I¡¯ve been able to do that.
¡°I¡¯m on the right path to start the season. I¡¯m on the right path of accomplishing the goals I set for this Spring Training. That¡¯s why you work in Spring Training for setting those goals and accomplishing them. You know you will be in a better position to succeed during the season.¡±
Robert pointed once again to the White Sox as the one giving him a chance to play in the Majors, making his dreams come true and as the only organization he¡¯s ever known. He was and is very grateful for the opportunity. He experienced the playoffs with the South Siders in ¡®20 and ¡®21, playing a feature role on both teams, and then played on the .500 squad in ¡®22 before suffering through 222 combined losses over the past two seasons.
Spring Training talk from players such as Mart¨ªn P¨¦rez has painted the ¡®25 White Sox not only as competitive but as contenders, which would be a truly significant and downright amazing jump from ¡®24. Robert can¡¯t predict the accuracy of that assessment at this point.
¡°In previous years, we had a better team, just because the names,¡± Robert said. ¡°To me, it¡¯s difficult to stand here and say we are going to do better or worse because we don¡¯t know. But if everybody is on the same page, and trying to do their best and to do the little things that each one of us have to do in order to be better, we are going to be in a good position.¡±