With a roster full of aging stars, the Philadelphia Phillies' sense of urgency to win the World Series this year is greater than any other MLB contender. That makes next month's trade deadline an especially crucial one for the franchise.
They must hit on their series of deadline deals and be more willing to go all-in for big names to plug their holes. However, they must be wise about who they target and can't afford any big misses, like the player recently mentioned by one MLB insider.
Bob Nightengale lists the Phillies as a potential trade deadline suitor for Luis Robert Jr.
In a recent article for USA Today, Bob Nightengale listed a number of expected buyers and sellers at the upcoming trade deadline, with the Phillies being mentioned as one of the more aggressive buyers. The team's needs for a dependable outfield bat and reliever or two are obvious to any fan who follows the team on a regular basis.
The outfield bat is where Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox comes in, who Nightengale claims has a "just about 100%" chance of being moved at the deadline and who the Phillies are "keeping close tabs on." The ChiSox are owners of the worst record in the American League and are well on pace for their second consecutive 100+ loss season after setting the modern MLB record for most losses in a single season in 2024, with 121.
It would be foolish for the rebuilding White Sox to not trade the 27-year-old Robert in exchange for a young prospect haul. The Phillies should not fall into the trap of feeling like they need to get Robert, as his numbers are pretty ugly and have been for a few years now.
Robert has seen an alarming decline in his production since appearing in his first All-Star Game in 2023. The 2023 season had Robert looking like a cornerstone for the White Sox, with his 38 home runs and .264/.315/.542 slash line, which has plummeted to .224/.278/.379 in 2024 and .185/.270/.313 so far this season.
The AL Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2020 has also battled the injury bug, having played in over 100 games only once in his six-year career. Phillies fans should be concerned with any amount of interest expressed in Robert, as he's really no better than Johan Rojas currently. Even worse, it appears that the team may not be as aggressive as we all hoped at the deadline, according to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.