Orioles claim outfielder Luis Robert Jr. after Mets placed him on waivers, despite hot-hitting August
sports.yahoo.com • • sports
Key Points:
- The Baltimore Orioles claimed outfielder Luis Robert Jr. off outright waivers after the New York Mets placed him on waivers, signaling they value his potential despite his contract costs and injury history.
- Robert, 29, still has significant financial commitments remaining on his contract, including a $3 million 2025 club option and a $2 million buyout on a $20 million 2026 option, which made claiming him a calculated risk for the Orioles.
- Baltimore, currently in a tight playoff race, expects Robert to boost their struggling outfield, as he has been hitting well in August and provides solid defensive metrics in center field.
- Robert’s season has been limited by injuries, playing only 56 games so far with a .229/.310/.410 batting line, but he has shown flashes of strong performance, including six home runs and 11 RBIs in August.
- The Mets were unable to trade Robert before the deadline and placed him on waivers; had he cleared, they might have retained him on the roster, similar to the Cincinnati Reds’ handling of players on waivers.
