According to multiple reports earlier this week, the White Sox and Reds were close to a deal that would have sent outfielder Luis Robert, Jr. to Cincinnati.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported on Thursday that talks between the Reds and White Sox fell apart for the time being because Chicago doesn’t want to sell low – Robert, Jr. is coming off of an injury-marred and low-performing 2024 season – and his club options for 2026 and 2027 would make Robert, Jr. somewhat costly for any team taking him on.

Robert, Jr. was only able to play 100 games last season, and he put up some of the worst numbers of his career, possibly because he was never playing at full strength. Robert, Jr. posted just a .657 OPS in 2024, the lowest mark of his career by almost 100 points.

On top of that, Robert, Jr. is due $15 million this season and has $20 million club options (with $2 million buyouts) for each of the next two years. Still, there is definite appeal in taking on a young player (Robert, Jr. will turn 28 in August) who is still under team control for three more years, whatever the cost of said team control might be.

Teams interested in a trade are also probably looking beyond Robert, Jr.’s 2024 numbers, however. He had an .857 OPS with 38 home runs in 2023, but the flip side of that is ‘23 was Robert, Jr.’s only fully healthy year, outside of the shortened 2020 season, when he was a rookie. He has at least shown what he can do across a full season, but the question for the Reds – or any other team – is whether the cost they would take on will be worth the injury concern.

If the White Sox eventually match up with someone for Robert, Jr. it is almost certain they will have to contribute some of the money he’s owed over the next three years. His injury history and last year’s performance merits concern for interested teams, and for the White Sox, that means if they work out a deal with someone at this point, they risk having sold low. Robert, Jr. is still young and still relatively early in his career, so the potential for a big bounceback in 2025 is real.

The White Sox have been consistent in keeping their asking price for Robert, Jr. high. Despite his history, the organization’s view of him is that he should command a healthy prospect return. Back in November, a rival general manager told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale that “you’ve got to hope he finally stays healthy and can be the player everyone envisioned all along. But the White Sox are acting like he’s some big star center fielder and are asking for your top prospects.”

That could be enough to stall any further talks with the Reds and other interested teams. At least for now. As Rosenthal reported on Thursday, it is unlikely that the White Sox find a trade partner before spring training starts, and they might be better off waiting anyway.

If the White Sox were to trade Robert, Jr. now, they would be selling low. Even though he had an excellent 2023 season – one that suggests he is capable of realizing the potential that has made Robert, Jr. such an intriguing player since he signed with Chicago – the rest of his career has been hampered by injury. In injury-shortened seasons, Robert, Jr. has still put up good numbers, at least until last year. That fact only adds to the likelihood that any team trading for Robert, Jr. now isn’t going to be offering the kind of return the White Sox have been seeking.

Because of that, Robert, Jr. might be a player to watch at the July trade deadline. Though the White Sox were very busy last July, he was not moved (trading him then would arguably have been selling lower than they would be now), but with a bounceback first half, the White Sox could get offers much closer to what they are seeking for the centerfielder.

Whatever course they do decide to take, it probably is going to involve moving another player or two. The outlook for the White Sox in 2025 is better than last year, largely just because it would be very hard to do a lot worse than 41-121, but it’s not nearly good enough to justify missing a chance at bolstering the farm system via trade. They have already been active this offseason, sending Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox, and Robert, Jr. is probably the last remaining player who could fetch a good return in a trade.

The fact that the White Sox have already engaged in negotiations this winter indicates that a trade involving Luis Robert, Jr. is at least in the works. When it actually comes to fruition is another question. A deal is probably not likely now, but keep an eye on Robert, Jr. closer to the midseason trade deadline.