Padres could steal star outfielder right out from under division rivals

Luis Robert Jr. was once one of the MLB's premier center-fielders. In 2023, he received MVP votes and was worth 5.3 bWAR. At the age of 25, it looked like Robert had a bright future ahead of him.

Now, the once budding star is struggling. The 27-year old is slashing .190/.275/.325, with an OPS+ of 67. He has played solid defense, and does have 22 stolen bases, but with 0.0 bWAR, he has hardly been a productive player in 2025.

That has not stopped the trade rumors from swirling. In fact, with the White Sox again circling the drain of the American League, it feels more and more likely that they could offload Robert. Despite his poor numbers, Robert is the team's most valuable trade asset. He still has remarkable tools, with 20-20 potential and plus defense in center field.

Could the Padres land the outfield star everyone in the NL West wants?

A new report from MLBtraderumors.com suggested that eight teams had checked in on Robert's availability. Among them included the Dodgers, Giants, Red, Mariners and Mets, in addition to at least three other teams.

What jumps out here is that the Giants and Dodgers, two of the Padres' division rivals, are interested in Robert. That should scare the Padres. Los Angeles has a history of acquiring underperforming players and helping them become stars. Recent examples have included Chris Taylor, Jason Heyward and Teoscar Hernandez. Talented players who look lost on other teams come to the Dodgers and figure things out.

Giving the Dodgers a player like Robert would feel like handing L.A. a gift wrapped in a bow.

At the same time, would it actually make sense for the Padres to jump in the fray? It's unknown if San Diego is among the eight teams that have checked in on him, but they still have time to make a move before the deadline. Does Luis Robert Jr make the Padres better in 2025, or would trading for him simply be a move to block the Dodgers and Giants from doing the same?

Truthfully, it feels like the latter option is a better reason to trade for Robert. The chances Robert comes to San Diego and immediately turns things around are probably low. He has not looked right since 2023, and there is no clear reason why.

However, his value is low, and the possibility of Los Angeles or San Francisco acquiring the uber-talented athlete for such a low price could be enough of a reason for San Diego to jump in and trade for Robert themselves. Who knows, maybe Robert would bounce back playing in a winning environment such as San Diego.

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