The Mets have been tied to White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. in trade rumors for months. Talks between New York and Chicago are ongoing, and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand writes that the Mets remain one of the more aggressive suitors.

According to Feinsand, Mets infielder Luisangel Acuña is among the players whom the teams have discussed. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote over the weekend that the White Sox wanted Mark Vientos included in a Robert return. Even with Vientos amidst a down year, that’s a significant ask given Robert’s offensive inconsistency. The 23-year-old Acuña has not shown anywhere close to the same upside as Vientos did a season ago, when he batted .266/.322/.516 with 27 home runs.

Acuña is a much better defensive player than Vientos, but he has a more limited offensive profile. The righty-hitting Acuña has a career .253/.300/.354 line with a trio of homers in 91 games. He has a similar .260/.303/.356 slash in 640 Triple-A plate appearances. Acuña is a decent contact hitter but has minimal power.

With Francisco Lindor locked in at shortstop, Acuña has mostly played second base in Queens. Prospect evaluators credit him with the athleticism and arm strength to play shortstop. That could make him more valuable to another team than the Mets. The White Sox are using Colson Montgomery more often at third base. Fellow rookie Chase Meidroth is playing more shortstop. Meidroth has a good approach but only has managed three homers in his first 82 MLB games. Most scouting reports while he was in the minors projected him as a long-term second baseman.

It’s not clear how likely the Mets are to land Robert, nor is it a guarantee that Acuña would be in the return. He’s presumably one of many players whom the teams have discussed as they kick around potential frameworks. The Sox have at least floated the idea of holding their center fielder beyond the deadline if they don’t get a strong prospect package. Robert is technically controllable for two more seasons via successive $20MM club options.

It’d seem more likely that he’ll be bought out for $2MM next offseason, but the White Sox have pushed the idea that they could exercise the first option rather than accept a suboptimal trade return. Their actions over the next 36 hours will reveal whether that’s a genuine consideration or a mere negotiating stance. In addition to New York, the Padres and Phillies have shown recent interest in Robert.