As the offseason trudges on deeper and deeper into the new year, it’s looking more and more the part of a quiet one for the Yankees. For New York, there is obvious and understandable interest in retaining Cody Bellinger’s services via free agency, but the terms currently appear to be in a place that may cause the Yankees to pivot and replace him.
Among the other names out there, the Yankees could potentially pursue Chicago’s Luis Robert Jr. in a trade. He is a player who has, at times, shown top shelf
talent in the majors, but has struggled in both the health and performance departments of late. Entering his age-28 season, in the final year of his contract with the White Sox, 2026 will be a prove-it campaign for Robert, and one that could have a massive impact on his future career. Whether it would be reasonable for him to prove it with the Yankees is a different story entirely.
In recent days, the Yankees’ talks with Bellinger seem to have reached a breaking point with the player’s camp insisting on a seven-year deal, and some reports have emerged about the team’s alternative options. One of those reported options comes in the form of Luis Robert Jr., per Jon Heyman.
2025 Statistics: 110 games, 431 PA, .223/.297/.364, 14 HR, 53 RBI, 33 SB, 84 wRC+, 7 Outs Above Average, 1.3 fWAR
2026 FanGraphs Depth Charts Projections: 136 games, 588 PA, .238/.299/.413, 23 HR, 70 RBI, 32 SB, 96 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR
Contract Status: Entering possible final year of contract, making $20 million. Club option for 2027 worth $20 million, or $2 million on buyout.
Robert is coming off back-to-back seasons that could be easily categorized as disappointments, making an acquisition inherently risky. His 2024 and ‘25 campaigns have been tough, especially considering that this stretch came on the heels of his finest showing in The Show.
The talented outfielder first appeared in the big leagues back in 2020, but he wouldn’t make a major mark until the following year. That season, he hit 13 homers in 68 games with an impressive 155 wRC+, establishing himself as a young rising star in the league, at just 23. He was solid the following year in 98 games, but he broke out in a big way in 2023. With that underachieving White Sox team, Robert put it all together in 145 games. The center fielder swatted a career-high 38 home runs while maintaining a 129 wRC+ in nearly 600 plate appearances. This was all while stealing 20 bases and playing very solid defense, a performance that was rewarded with his first All-Star selection, a Gold Glove, and a Silver Slugger award.
Unfortunately for Robert and the Sox, it has been largely downhill since then. Despite the impressive and multi-dimensional talent he has shown, Robert is not a player that comes without red flags. In fact, they are a striking shade of red, which could at times excite even the most well-trained bull. Those red flags have shown themselves in full over the last two seasons for Robert.
On the injury front, Robert has topped 110 games just once in his six-year career (2023), as remaining on the field has proven to be a struggle for the excellent athlete. Although his club may only be on the hook for another year, his presence on the field is far from a certainty, making any kind of deal a risk.
Beyond that, there is perhaps an even more glaring issue. Since that breakout season in ‘23, Robert simply hasn’t been very good. In back-to-back seasons, the righty has offered up just an 84 wRC+, striking out at rates hovering around 30 percent, and showing diminished power relative to his peak. Robert has had difficulty staying on the field, and has had much the same producing when he is. Despite the clear talent, to this point, he has not panned out as the two-way impact player he looked to be.
Robert is still only 28, and is likely not being helped by the troubled also-ran of a franchise that he currently calls home, so there are still some positives to look at. Robert posted a career-best walk rate in 2025, and stole a personal-best 33 bases last year. A revival and run of good health are certainly not out of the question (he wouldn’t be the first player to rejuvenate his career in a more positive, winning environment), but the outfielder is at the point where he’ll likely need to prove his abilities on the field.
For the Yankees, it would be an interesting move if they were to pivot from signing Bellinger, but the risks are very hard to ignore. He simply has not been a productive player over the last two seasons, and the Bombers would be inheriting some risk by acquiring his services. That being said, he is a good enough athlete that some intrigue will certainly come along if he is moved.
