The New York Mets have wrestled again the NL East lead from the Philadelphia Phillies, going 7-4 for the reason that All-Star break, however the Phillies are proper on their tail. The Mets solely have a half-game benefit over their fiercest division rival, and they’re coming off two straight defeats to the San Diego Padres — the newest being a demoralizing 7-1 defeat.
On the very least, there’s time for the Mets to improve their roster through commerce previous to the beginning of the stretch run. Their offense has been middling, and with Juan Soto leaving their 7-1 loss to the Padres on Tuesday early after hitting a ball off his foot, the Mets might have a better sense of urgency now to accumulate an insurance coverage coverage within the outfield.
With that, in keeping with the sources of MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Mets “have been one of many extra aggressive groups” within the pursuit of Chicago White Sox heart fielder Luis Robert Jr., with one even calling them the “frontrunner” for the 27-year-old outfielder’s providers.
The Mets aren’t alone of their pursuit of Robert, nonetheless. Feinsand additionally talked about that the Padres and Phillies “have curiosity” within the White Sox outfielder, though the extent of curiosity that they’ve in truly swinging a commerce stays to be seen.
If something, the Mets are the crew that seems to be in essentially the most want of outfield reinforcements, particularly at heart area. Whereas the platoon of Jeff McNeil and Tyrone Taylor are holding it collectively for New York, buying somebody who could possibly be a longer-term answer on the place, like Robert, may make a commerce with the White Sox that rather more worthwhile.
The Mets, nonetheless, must overcome the White Sox’s reported exorbitant calls for in any Robert commerce.
Is Luis Robert Jr. the reply for the Mets at heart area?
On paper, buying Robert shouldn’t be this difficult for any crew. He’s struggling badly for a moribund White Sox crew, slashing .206/.295/.348 to associate with simply 11 dwelling runs and 43 runs batted in.
Robert is about to make $20 million over the following two seasons, supplied his crew picks up each membership choices. At this charge, Robert just isn’t taking part in at a degree that makes him price that cash. However with the best way he began his profession, maybe a change of surroundings may work wonders for him, and perhaps a contemporary begin with the Mets is all he must get his once-promising profession again on observe.