Orioles Claim Former All-Star Luis Robert Jr. Off Waivers From Mets
By Brian Hradsky | Maryland Sports Blog
The Baltimore Orioles are making a significant late-season addition for their push toward the postseason.
Baltimore has claimed former All-Star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. off outright waivers from the New York Mets, adding one of the more intriguing power-speed players in baseball to an Orioles team sitting right in the middle of the American League Wild Card race.
The move is not without risk. Robert has dealt with injuries throughout his career and has not replicated his monster 2023 season over the past few years. But this is exactly the type of gamble the Orioles should be willing to make.
Baltimore entered Monday at 68-69 and only one game behind Cleveland for the final American League Wild Card position. With the Orioles still very much alive, Robert gives Baltimore another potentially dangerous right-handed bat for September.
Orioles Take On Robert’s Contract
The Mets placed Robert on outright waivers over the weekend, opening the door for another organization to claim him while assuming the money remaining on his contract.
Baltimore did exactly that.
Robert is making $20 million in 2026, with roughly $3 million remaining on his salary. His contract also contains a club option for next season with a buyout, meaning Baltimore is assuming roughly $5 million in guaranteed financial responsibility.
More importantly, Robert’s contract gives the Orioles an interesting decision beyond this season.
Robert has a $20 million club option for 2027 with a $2 million buyout. Baltimore can therefore spend September evaluating Robert before determining whether keeping him for another season at $20 million makes sense.
For a player with Robert’s ceiling, that flexibility could become important.
Who Is Luis Robert Jr.?
Robert, who turned 29 on Aug. 3, was born in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, and became one of the most highly regarded international prospects of his generation.
The Chicago White Sox signed Robert in 2017, and he eventually made his Major League debut during the shortened 2020 season.
It did not take long for his talent to become obvious.
Robert won a Gold Glove as a rookie in 2020 and finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting. He quickly developed into one of Chicago’s most important players because of his combination of power, speed and center-field defense.
Robert’s career eventually reached its high point in 2023.
That season he played 145 games and hit .264 with 38 home runs, 80 RBIs and 20 stolen bases, earning his first All-Star selection. He also won a Silver Slugger Award.
It was the season that demonstrated what Robert can be when everything comes together.
A legitimate 30-plus-home-run center fielder with speed is an extremely valuable player.
The problem has been keeping Robert healthy and getting that production consistently.
Injuries Have Been the Biggest Concern
Robert’s talent has rarely been questioned. His availability has.
After his huge 2023 season, Robert played only 100 games in 2024. He was limited to 110 games in 2025 and dealt with hamstring problems.
The injury problems followed him to New York.
The Mets acquired Robert from the White Sox in January, sending infielder Luisangel Acuña and pitching prospect Truman Pauley to Chicago.
Robert then suffered a lumbar spine disc herniation this season. The Mets initially placed him on the injured list in late April before eventually transferring him to the 60-day IL.
He did not return until July 20.
That injury explains a significant portion of why Robert became available at this point of the season.
Robert Was Heating Up Before Orioles Claim
Robert’s overall 2026 statistics are not spectacular.
He hit .223 with 10 home runs, 23 RBIs and a .702 OPS in 58 games with the Mets.
However, those season-long numbers do not tell the entire story.
Robert had started showing considerably more power since returning from his back injury.
During August, Robert hit .267 with six home runs and 11 RBIs over 24 games. Earlier figures from his August surge had him slashing .282/.338/.557 through 23 games.
He also homered four times during a six-game stretch in the middle of August.
That is the version of Robert the Orioles are hoping they just claimed.
This is not Baltimore picking up a player who has shown absolutely nothing recently. Robert was beginning to look much more like the dangerous hitter he has been in the past.
Robert Brings Legitimate Power
Robert’s career numbers show why this is worth the gamble.
Through seven Major League seasons, Robert has hit approximately .257 with 112 home runs, while also surpassing 100 career stolen bases.
In 2025, despite hitting only .223, Robert stole a career-high 33 bases.
His 2023 season remains the biggest indication of his ceiling. There are not many center fielders capable of producing 38 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season.
Robert does not need to become the 2023 version of himself for this move to help Baltimore.
If he can simply provide some right-handed power and competent center-field defense during September, the Orioles may have found an important piece without surrendering a prospect.
Orioles Add Another Center-Field Option
Robert has spent almost his entire Major League career in center field.
He has appeared in center in more than 600 Major League games and won his Gold Glove at the position.
That gives the Orioles another legitimate defensive option in the middle of the outfield while also creating additional lineup flexibility.
Robert bats right-handed, which also gives Baltimore a potentially dangerous matchup option depending on how the Orioles construct their lineup down the stretch.
And there is something else important about this move:
The Orioles did not have to trade anybody to get him.
Baltimore simply takes on the remaining financial commitment.
For a team only one game out of a playoff position entering Monday, that is a worthwhile risk.
A Much Different Kind of Orioles Move
This is the type of transaction that can look insignificant in August and potentially become enormous in September.
Robert is not a guarantee.
His injury history is substantial. His offensive production has been inconsistent since his All-Star season. Baltimore is taking on several million dollars for approximately one month of guaranteed baseball.
But there is almost no baseball downside beyond the money.
If Robert struggles, the Orioles can move on after the season and pay the $2 million buyout.
If Robert gets hot, Baltimore suddenly has a former 38-home-run All-Star joining the lineup during a playoff race.
And if Robert looks anything close to his old self, the Orioles can evaluate whether exercising his option for 2027 makes sense.
That is a calculated gamble worth taking.
Robert Could Be an X-Factor in Orioles’ Wild Card Push
Baltimore has worked its way back into postseason contention, and the timing of this move makes the organization’s intentions clear.
The Orioles are not conceding the season.
At 68-69 entering Monday, Baltimore was only a game outside the final AL Wild Card position. Every game matters now.
Robert gives the Orioles another weapon.
The Orioles do not need him to carry the offense. They need him to lengthen it.
If Robert can provide power behind hitters such as Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso, Baltimore’s lineup becomes considerably more dangerous.
Robert’s recent August surge makes the timing particularly interesting. Six home runs in 24 games suggest his power has returned after his lengthy absence with the back injury.
Now Baltimore gets to see whether that continues.
MSB Take
This is exactly the kind of move the Orioles should make when they are a game out of a playoff spot entering September.
There is risk, but Baltimore gave up zero prospects.
The Orioles are essentially betting several million dollars that a 29-year-old former All-Star, Gold Glove winner and 38-home-run hitter can help them win baseball games for a month.
That is a good gamble.
Robert’s health remains the biggest concern. His career has been filled with stretches where he looks like one of baseball’s most talented center fielders followed by another trip to the injured list.
But Baltimore does not need to solve his entire career.
The Orioles need him for September.
If the Luis Robert Jr. who hit six home runs in August shows up in Baltimore, the Orioles may have just added a legitimate difference-maker at exactly the right time.
And if Baltimore reaches October by a game or two, this waiver claim could end up being remembered as one of the moves that helped get the Orioles there.
