3 best landing spots for Luis Robert Jr. after Mets decision
· Yahoo Sports
The Luis Robert Jr. experiment in Queens could soon be coming to an end. According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, the New York Mets have decided to place the 29-year-old on outright waivers.
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Robert’s season with the Mets has not been atrocious, but it definitely has not lived up to expectations. When on the field he has posted a .229 batting average, .310 on-base percentage and .719 OPS, yet he has appeared in just 56 games due to injury and is clearly not living up to his $20 million salary.
He also has a $20 million club option this offseason that is unlikely to be picked up by the Mets, leading to their decision.
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If a team claims Robert they would be on the hook for his remaining salary this year along with having to buy out his option next year.
That does not make it a guarantee he gets picked up, but it is at least worth a shot by the Mets. The Cincinnati Reds earlier this week placed both TJ Friedl and Eugenio Suarez on outright waivers hoping to save some money but no teams bit.
Regardless, it could be different for Robert given that plenty of contenders could use a right-handed bat off the bench. Here are the three best landing spots.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are certainly an option. Given they consistently sit near the top of the league in payroll, the extra financial commitment does not appear to be a problem.
As it currently stands, Philadelphia has two expendable right-handed outfielders in Derek Hill and Bryan De La Cruz they could potentially move on from if they see Robert as a better option.
While both have played reasonably well in Philadelphia, the ceiling of Robert, a former All-Star and Silver Slugger, is appealing for a team with World Series aspirations.
Cleveland Guardians
The Cleveland Guardians represent another realistic option. Although they are a small-market team, they could benefit from any offensive upgrade in the outfield, especially in center field.
Cleveland’s current center fielder is rookie Petey Halpin, who across 62 games has posted just a .584 OPS. Robert would certainly be an upgrade as Cleveland fights for the final American League wild card spot and every lineup advantage matters.
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto, similar to Philadelphia, has the financial flexibility to pull off the move and outfield is a clear area of need.
They lost right fielder Addison Barger for the year and it remains unclear if Anthony Santander will return before the season ends. Toronto is also pushing for the final wild card spot, and Robert could provide a meaningful offensive boost down the stretch.
All three destinations make sense, and Robert’s track record alone should be enough to generate real interest before the waiver deadline passes.