The New York Mets placed veteran outfielder Luis Robert Jr. on waivers midway through their 6–2 win over the Houston Astros at Citi Field Saturday. The team has yet to confirm the roster move. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com was first to report on this development.
Luis Robert Jr. on Waivers
In a potential cash-saving decision, the Mets are giving other teams the chance to pick up Robert, whose contract includes a $20 million player option for 2027. Yet, there is no guarantee that another club will acquire the former All-Star centerfielder, who has more than $5 million guaranteed on his deal. This includes around $3 million in remaining 2026 salary and a $2 million buyout of next year’s option.
Teams placing players on outright waivers is a common practice at this point in the season. During this period, interested teams have 48 hours from the time of waiver placement to claim Luis Robert Jr. and the remainder of his salary. If he is not claimed, Robert will continue playing for the Mets, as he can play for them while on waivers.
Still, the team is unlikely to pick up his player option for 2027 due to him struggling at the start of the regular season. The Mets acquired him from the Chicago White Sox to be their starting centerfielder, but that didn’t go as planned. He was placed on the Injured List on April 26 with a lumbar spine herniation and spent three months on the sidelines.
Other Plans
Robert resurfaced when he made his return, going on separate three and four game hitting streaks. His best performance came against the White Sox on August 22 when he blasted two home runs during a 10–5 win for the Mets. At that point, he put together another six-game hitting streak.
However, the Mets have been giving more opportunities to rookie outfielder A.J. Ewing in center over Luis Robert Jr. Both have received opportunities in left, but with Juan Soto back from the injured list those chances will begin to fade. Ewing has also proved to be a more productive fielder than Robert, making multiple impressive catches against the Astros.
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