At this point, the Chicago White Sox fans brave enough to sit through another losing season may have the same trade value as Luis Robert Jr.

Much like Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara, Robert essentially entered the 2025 season with one clear goal: play well enough to be traded by July 31. And Robert, much like Alcantara, has suffered through a horrific campaign, one that saw him enter the All-Star break with a .190 average, a .599 OPS, and 0.0 bWAR.

But, some teams will likely desperately inquire about Robert in the next two weeks — and the White Sox might be willing to part ways with the former All-Star by any means necessary.

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported on Thursday that the White Sox could eat part of Robert’s $15 million salary. That’d be excellent news for contenders like the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, who need another outfield bat.

“But even then, the White Sox could not count on getting much of a return,” Rosenthal pointed out. “Robert’s value keeps sinking, and time is running out.”

Robert also has two $20 million club options for the next two seasons, each with a $2 million buyout.

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Should the Philadelphia Phillies trade for Luis Robert Jr.?

Any playoff contender, and this especially applies to the Phillies, thinking about adding Robert must ask themselves two critical questions:

1. Where do they see Robert playing? Will he remain a center fielder as he’s been his entire career, or are they willing to experiment with him in the corner outfield?

2. Do they have enough outfield depth to survive if Robert doesn’t return to form?

Before the Phillies can realistically pursue Robert, they must ask themselves the first question. If Rob Thomson feels comfortable moving center fielder Brandon Marsh back to left field, then they’ve already found the answer. Marsh has quietly turned his season around, batting .306 with a .760 OPS since June 1.

As for the second question, that’s up for debate. Would Thomson potentially explore moving first baseman Bryce Harper back to the outfield if necessary? However, Harper hasn’t played the outfield since 2022, and his recent elbow issues make it far likelier that he doesn’t leave the infield.

Phillies can afford to take a chance with Luis Robert Jr.

If Robert is cheap enough, though, the Phillies can’t afford to pass on him. Someone will bite, and we shouldn’t be surprised if that someone is another NL contender. The Padres need another bat, as do the NL-leading Dodgers. Something also tells us that the Mets won’t pass on a rental slugger who can help them hold off the Phillies in the NL East.

Only two weeks remain until the trade deadline, and chances are that an aggressive contender will start the action soon. Let’s see if that team turns out to be the Phillies, especially with the Mets and Dodgers lingering in the NL playoff hunt.