After the White Sox traded Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox, the only player with significant value left on the team is Luis Robert Jr. All eyes were focused on Robert Jr. to see if he would be the next major player on the move, but at this point there hasn't been a trade.
That isn't for lack of trying, as the Cincinnati Reds were in discussions with Chris Getz for Robert Jr., as they have been linked to him for a while. According to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic, the Reds and the White Sox weren't able to find common ground on a blockbuster trade that would have sent Robert Jr. to the Reds.
In his article, Rosenthal explains that the Reds and the White Sox could not come to terms on exactly which players should be included in the deal, or how much money the White Sox would retain on Robert Jr.'s 15 million dollar salary.
However, it is important to note that Rosenthal included that the Reds were discussing one of their top prospects, Edwin Arroyo, in the deal. This is significant, as there seems to be a framework laid out for a deal. In the newly released MLB Pipeline Top Prospects list, Arroyo was ranked as the 92nd best prospect in all of baseball.
Arroyo is a 21 year old shortstop that made it all the way to AA as a 20 year old in 2023, but he missed the 2024 season due to an injury. Arroyo has a bunch of potential and would be a very solid addition to the White Sox farm system. However, it is likely that the White Sox would be looking for more as a headliner for Robert Jr., or to take on less of his salary.
#3 @Reds prospect Edwin Arroyo with a triple in his first Double-A at bat‼️🔥 pic.twitter.com/0ZtUJUNHZP
— Chattanooga Lookouts (@ChattLookouts) September 14, 2023
It seems that talks are dead as of right now, but Rosenthal was on the Foul Territory podcast and noted that the talks could easily be revived if newly signed Austin Hayes fails his physical with the Reds, as they now have a decent foundation for a trade.
Talks between the @Reds & @Whitesox over Luis Robert Jr. have stalled for now - but could be revived later, says @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/rI8TALQ7iB
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 30, 2025
In his interview, he seemed pretty confident that the White Sox will continue to explore a trade for Robert Jr., but the timeframe is uncertain. If there are any major injuries in Spring Training, especially on the Reds, teams could become more inclined to make a deal.
Robert Jr. is an interesting trade candidate, as he showed he had MVP potential in 2023, but was extremely underwhelming in 2024. Chris Getz is right to value him closer to his 2023 season, as Robert Jr. could easily be back to that form in 2025. If he does, expect the White Sox to get significantly more than the 92nd ranked prospect in all of baseball.
Unless the White Sox get what they are asking for, it would be smart to hold onto him until the deadline, especially if he gets off to a hot start.
