Jeff Passan calls Padres best fit for $50 million White Sox slugger

With the San Diego Padres looking to buy at the deadline, there is one position which stands out as the most pressing need: left field. While the Padres and A.J. Preller could settle on a cheap rental, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan thinks differently.

Passan named the Padres as the best fit for Chicago White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. The veteran outfielder is in the middle of a shaky season, but lately, he has been a lot better and has been at the center of trade rumors.

Robert is a 27-year-old outfielder who has won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award in his big league career. The 2023 All-Star was incredible that season, hitting 38 home runs and hitting 36 doubles, and 144 hits total. 

This season, he's taken a step back and is hitting just .206 with a .636 OPS. But, those struggles have eased lately, as the White Sox outfielder has impressed in July.

Across ten games this month, Robert has a .364 batting average with a 1.023 OPS. In his 33 at-bats, he has 12 hits, eight runs scored, one double, two home runs, eight RBIs, three stolen bases, and five walks to six strikeouts.

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Robert is in the final year of a six-year, $50 million deal. While a rental, he does have a $20 million club option for 2026, which, if he performs at an elite level in San Diego following a prospective trade, the Padres could elect to pick up.

They could also pick it up if they don't intend to bring him back and try to find a trade partner, which is what the White Sox will likely do if they don't move him at the deadline.

Preller can get creative and aggressive at trade deadlines, and he's no stranger to landing incredible outfielders at the deadline. Robert is Passan's best fit for the Padres, and if he reaches his potential, the outfield in San Diego would be one of the best in the league.

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