After signing Munetaka Murakami, the Chicago White Sox are already exploring a potential Luis Robert Jr. trade.

The White Sox surprised the baseball world on Sunday morning by landing Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami on a two-year, $34 million contract.

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It’s a clear bet on upside—and one that checks multiple boxes at once.

Chicago desperately needs power in the middle of its lineup, and Murakami brings an unprecedented level of it. He holds the single-season home run record in Japan (56) and instantly bolsters the offense. The White Sox also needed more left-handed hitters, and Murakami helps balance out a lineup that was leaning too heavily to the right.

Suddenly, this roster feels more complete. More fun. White Sox fans now get to watch Murakami develop and grow alongside a young core that’s still taking shape on the South Side.

But with that deal complete, the White Sox are wasting no time shifting their focus elsewhere—and it all comes back to Luis Robert Jr.

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According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the White Sox “still would like to move CF Luis Robert for pitching depth and are engaged in talks with the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds.”

That’s an interesting wrinkle.

I’ve maintained all offseason that I don’t expect Robert Jr. to be traded—but I’ve also acknowledged that it would only take one team meeting Chicago’s lofty asking price to make it happen. Given the thin free-agent outfield market, it wouldn’t shock anyone if a contender eventually blinked.

What does surprise me is the reported desire to get pitching in return.

Deep, young pitching is already one of the organization’s strengths. Trading Robert would leave the White Sox thin—if not outright depleted—in the outfield.

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Andrew Benintendi is currently penciled in as the left fielder, but his athleticism and defensive value have declined, and Chicago may prefer to use him more frequently at DH in 2026. Beyond him, there’s no proven everyday outfield talent on the roster.

The current mix includes utility man Brooks Baldwin, Tristan Peters, and Everson Pereira, along with Derek Hill—a veteran known far more for his glove more than his bat.

It’s difficult to envision the White Sox entering the season with that group, no established outfield production, and only one legitimate outfield prospect on the way in Braden Montgomery.

Especially not when the starting rotation is already competitive—and crowded.

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Chicago’s system is loaded with long-term pitching options at or near the big-league level: Drew Thorpe, Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith, Tanner McDougal, Shane Murphy, Sean Burke, Ky Bush, and Jedixson Paez among others. And the White Sox are going to trade one of their best assets for more pitching prospects?

That said, both the Mets and Reds do have arms that are at least intriguing.

If the White Sox are serious about moving Robert Jr., I’d expect them to target pitchers who are MLB-ready—or very close.

From the Mets’ side, Jack Wenninger (No. 13 prospect) stands out. The 23-year-old right-hander posted a 2.92 ERA across 135.2 innings in Double-A last season and features a legitimate plus changeup. Jonathan Pintaro (No. 17) and Dylan Ross (No. 20) are also possibilities; both are already on the 40-man roster and capable of contributing innings soon.

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Cincinnati could offer Julian Aguiar (No. 16), Zach Maxwell (No. 24), or Jose Franco (No. 25), all of whom are also on the 40-man roster. The Reds additionally hold the 72nd pick in the 2026 MLB Draft (Competitive Balance Round B), which could be used to sweeten a deal by adding bonus-pool flexibility for Chicago.

Even then, those packages feel light.

If anything, the Murakami signing reduces the White Sox’s urgency to move Robert Jr. That’s what makes this report so curious.

Still, if Chicago is truly intent on making a move—and genuinely wants pitching in return—any of those names could represent a starting point for discussions.

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Whether it actually makes sense is another question entirely.