Can New York Mets, any MLB team win with Luis Robert Jr.? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The "next Mike Trout" stepped into the batter's box at Citi Field Sunday with an opportunity to live up to his lofty rookie proclamation.
Trailing the Colorado Rockies, 3-1, in the bottom of the eighth inning, the slumping Mets loaded the bases with two outs. They needed a Trout-type moment. But, like so often throughout Luis Robert Jr.'s six-year big league career, he failed to lift his club.
On a 1-2 pitch, Robert popped out to first baseman Troy Johnston. Another wasted at-bat.
The Mets ended up losing the first game of the doubleheader and the nightcap, as well. Swept by the Rockies, they have dropped three straight and 15 of their 17 games. It was their first series loss to the Rockies since 2021.
Robert's first two months with the Mets netted a .321 winning percentage.
After posting a .439 combined winning percentage during his six seasons with the Chicago White Sox, can Robert, who was projected in 2020 to develop into one of the league's top performers, lead a major-league squad into consistent winners?
Since former Chicago White Sox teammate Eloy Jimenez anointed Robert as the "next Mike Trout" in 2020, Robert amassed an All-Star Game appearance, a Gold Glove award and a second-place finish in AL rookie-of-the-year voting. In 2023, he clubbed a career-best 38 home runs. In his six other seasons combined, however, he clubbed 66 homers. He has appeared in more than 110 games once.
Still, the Mets traded for Robert last January, intent on unlocking his potential.
Instead, the Mets have endured a record losing streak, becoming the first team in MLB history to drop 12 consecutive outings after finishing the previous season with a winning record, and Robert struggled through a hitless streak of 17 at-bats. He's hitting .224 with two homers and eight RBI.
The Mets (9-19), who were 19-9 at the 38-game point last season, entered Monday tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for the worst record in the majors. Robert should feel at home.
"It's about getting him to be a consistently healthy and productive player. We've seen stretches over the course of his career where he's done that," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns told the Chicago Sun-Times. "Our goal is keeping him on the field the entire 162 (games). We feel like if we can do that, he's going to be pretty good and contribute."
From being declared a future Hall of Famer to management hoping he'll be "pretty good" is a pretty steep reputational decline.
Will Robert ever lead an MLB club to a winning campaign?