Mets Beat White Sox 10-5 as Luis Robert Jr. Homers Twice Against Former Team

Q: After crushing his former team, will Luis Robert Jr.'s looming free agency force the Mets into a massive bidding war this winter?

Probably not a massive bidding war, but Robert’s late surge is raising the price of keeping him. His two-homer game against the White Sox was the kind of reminder that front offices notice: when healthy, Luis Robert Jr. is still a rare power-speed-defensive talent. The recent numbers support that, with Robert hitting .318 and slugging .682 over his last 14 games after returning from a long absence caused by a lumbar spine disc herniation. That said, the market is complicated by risk. Robert’s career has repeatedly been interrupted by injuries, and that will matter as much as his upside. Clubs know the ceiling is high — his 2023 All-Star season and 100-homer/100-steal résumé prove that — but they also know availability has been the central issue. That usually tempers all-out bidding. For the Mets, the bigger question is how strongly they believe in his health and fit going forward. Publicly, Robert has said he would like to stay in Queens, and New York previously chose not to move him when interest existed, in part because of what he might still do for them in the second half. If he finishes this season strong, the Mets could face real competition from outfield-needy clubs seeking upside in a relatively thin market. Still, “massive bidding war” may overstate it. More likely, Robert’s strong finish would create a solid multi-team market rather than a Juan Soto-style frenzy. His talent gives him leverage; his medical history puts a ceiling on how wild the bidding gets.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Aug 23

Luis Robert Jr. drove in the Mets’ surge with two home runs at Rate Field, helping New York beat AL Central-leading Chicago 10-5 for its 12th win in 17 games.
Bo Bichette’s go-ahead solo shot in the third started a four-homer night for New York, with Carson Benge and Luis Torrens also going deep as the Mets built an 8-3 cushion.
Torrens capped the scoring with a two-run homer and now has six home runs in his last 29 plate appearances.
Austin Warren earned the win with 1 2/3 scoreless relief innings after Christian Scott allowed four runs over 4 2/3, while White Sox starter Luis Castillo gave up four runs in 2 2/3 innings.