The Cardinals could finally trade for the outfielder who got away to fix their lineup

Whenever we talk about the outfielders that the St. Louis Cardinals botched, traded away, cut, or let slip through their fingers, are minds immediately rush to names like Adolis Garcia, Randy Arozarena, Tyler O'Neill, Lane Thomas, Dylan Carlson, Jordan Walker, Marcell Ozuna, and Juan Soto. But rarely do we think about one of the most odd and indefensible misses of all - Luis Robert Jr.

Back in 2017, the Cardinals were seen as one of the favorites to sign Robert as one of the top international prospects in that cycle. The club reportedly made a lucrative offer to the then-19-year-old, but the White Sox offered more, and the Cardinals missed out on signing a future impact bat for their outfield. The Cardinals had already signed Ivan Herrera, Randy Arozarena, and Johan Oviedo for the 2016-2017 cycle, so adding Robert on a lucrative signing bonus would have made it a special international class for them.

Well, Robert has since spent his entire career in Chicago, but many within the industry expect Robert to be a popular name on the trade market come the deadline, and a Cardinals insider recently suggested Robert as a potential target for the club.

Cardinals insider name drops Luis Robert Jr. as a fit for the club at the trade deadline

When considering what short-term upgrades the Cardinals could target at the trade deadline later this month, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat listed Robert as a solution to the lack of a productive right-handed hitting outfielder in their lineup, citing that he could take over in right field for the club. Robert has primarily played center field for the White Sox, so he would be able to start there for St. Louis when a left-hander is on the mound as well.

It's been a rough campaign for Robert, as he is slashing just .185/.270/.313 in 73 games, although he does have eight home runs and 22 stolen bases thus far as well. This, coupled with two $20 million club options remaining in his contract, makes Robert a complicated trade chip for the White Sox. Robert has been an excellent player for Chicago in most seasons of his career, including finishing 12th in AL MVP voting in 2023 and posting a 154 OPS+ in 2021.

Some believe the club will just hold onto Robert since he has not performed this year in hopes that he rebuilds his trade value, but others are convinced that the White Sox will just cut bait with Robert and his money at this deadline, and the acquiring team may strike gold with an asset that had been wasting away in Chicago.

For the Cardinals, Jones is not the type of reporter to just throw out names without any real conviction that it could be a real option for the club. That doesn't mean Jones is saying the Cardinals will trade for Robert or that he's even reporting that it's being discussed, but I will say that since he wrote it, I'd at least give validity to the idea now.

Depending on how much the White Sox would want in return for Robert, it could be a really interesting gamble for the club down the stretch. If he doesn't work out, they can move on from him in the offseason by declining his club option. If he does pan out, they could bring him back into their fold in 2026 or even flip him in a trade again this offseason.

Jones cited the stance Mozeliak took last week with the media that he believes ownership is ready to invest in the club at the deadline if they are in it. With Robert on a $15 million contract this year, they'd be on the hook for less than $7.5 million of it since he'd be a fair bit over halfway through the season when a potential trade could go down.

I don't see this as a likely outcome for St. Louis, but it is one I think is worth monitoring, especially since Mozeliak seems to have the lineup circled as their top priority if they do add. Robert would certainly be a bold addition, but that aggression could pay off in a big way for the Cardinals.