The Baltimore Orioles have claimed center fielder Luis Robert Jr. off waivers from the Mets, and with that, the 29-year-old’s brief tenure with the Mets has come to an end.
Known as an injury-prone player before the Mets traded for him ahead of the 2026 season, Robert missed a huge chunk of time this year with a lower back issue. He played in 58 games for the Mets, made 218 plate appearances, and hit .223/.303/.399 with 10 home runs, a 96 wRC+, and 0.5 fWAR. He’s earning $20 million this year and has
a team option for 2027 at the same salary with a $2 million buyout in the very likely event that the option is declined.
For now, the Mets save some money, and Robert joins Pete Alonso and company in Baltimore as the Orioles attempt to make the playoffs via the third Wild Card spot in the American League. At the moment, they’re 68-69, one game back of the Guardians for that spot, a half-game ahead of the Rangers, and one game ahead of the Rangers. And if the Twins, Mariners, or Tigers were to go on a brief hot streak, they’re not totally out of that playoff picture yet, either.
To replace Robert on the active roster, the Mets have reinstated Mark Vientos from the injured list. The 26-year-old has hit just .211/.256/.388 with 11 home runs, a 76 wRC+, and -1.1 fWAR, which has made him the sixth-worst in baseball among position players this year. He’s made just 254 plate appearances and had been on the injured list since early July with a fractured hand.
And last but not least, the Mets are planning to call up outfielder Nick Morabito when rosters expand tomorrow, per a report from Will Sammon.
