This post was originally published on this site.
It makes sense that the Cincinnati Reds are associated with Chicago White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. An outfielder who has the ability to make a big impact on the lineup would help the Reds’ roster tremendously. When you begin looking at smart targets — those that will best align with the needs of the Reds — and actually fit their comfort zone on prospects, it’s easy to see where people are saying, “Wait… why weren’t the Reds all over Jeff McNeil?”
Now that door is closed. McNeil was traded from the New York Mets to the Athletics on December 22 with some cash, and the Mets took back 17-year-old right-handed pitcher Yordan Rodriguez. This is not a “big-boy bidding war” kind of trade package. This is a “please take this guy off our hands” trade package. It looks like an opportunity for a Reds club trying to get more offense with less damage to the farm was completely missed.
Reds trade pursuit of White Sox star Luis Robert Jr. misses the point when Jeff McNeil was right there
The Reds don’t need another roll of the dice. They need more professional at-bats. In 2025, Cincinnati scored 716 runs — 14th in MLB — and the lineup had too many stretches where rallies died on strikeouts and empty swings. McNeil, even in a down-ish year by his standards (.243 average, .335 OBP, 12 homers), is still the type of hitter who keeps the line moving and doesn’t hand away plate appearances.
Also: he’s a lefty. And he’s versatile. Second base, corner outfield, “plug him in wherever something sprung a leak this week.” That matters on a Reds roster that constantly feels like it’s juggling lineup fits, matchups, and health. And if you want to play the “upgrade without blocking the kids” game? McNeil is basically built for it. He can be a regular when needed, or a super-utility bat when the roster gets crowded.
Here’s the part that’s hardest to ignore: the Mets moved McNeil for a teenage rookie-ball pitcher and sent $5.75 million to help cover his 2026 salary — plus they’ll cover the $2 million buyout if the Athletics decline his 2027 club option.
Meanwhile, the Reds’ reported Robert interest comes with the usual warning label: Chicago is looking for controllable pitching in return, and any Robert trade starts with the assumption that the White Sox are trying to cash in on the ceiling, not dump the deal. That’s a very different negotiating environment than “the Mets are trying to clear the decks.”
So the question becomes: if you’re Cincinnati, why chase the version of this plan that likely costs you real arms? Robert’s upside is real… but so is the risk. This isn’t anti-Robert propaganda. When he’s on, he’s a game-wrecker. Even in an uneven 2025, he still stole 33 bases and hit 14 homers in 110 games.
But that “110 games” part is the real problem, because the injuries keep showing up at the worst times. Robert hit the injured list with a left hamstring strain in late August, with reports at the time noting it could cost him the rest of the season. And financially, it’s not cheap: the White Sox exercised his $20 million option for 2026, with another $20 million option sitting there for 2027.
If the Reds are going to pay that kind of money and ship out meaningful pitching, the move has to be close to “can’t miss.” Robert just hasn’t been that lately. Reds fans get it: the flashy move is fun. A Robert trade would light up the timeline. But it also has “buyer beware” written all over it.
McNeil getting moved for a light return is exactly the type of market inefficiency the Reds should be hunting. It’s the one that improves the lineup, protects the pitching depth, and doesn’t come with a hamstring-shaped asterisk.