Six months and a ‘thousand trade iterations’ later, Luis Robert proving be worth the Mets’ wait

Sometimes the best trades are consummated on second chances, and the Mets’ do-over deal of Luisangel Acuña to the White Sox for Luis Robert Jr. looks like a winner so far.

There were said to be “a thousand iterations” of Robert trade scenarios thrown around starting last June. But given a second opportunity to execute the Acuña-Robert exchange six months after the Mets’ first suggested it at the deadline, the teams made it stick.

Robert, an uber-talented but injury-prone former star, is off to a boffo start in Queens, becoming the first Met since John Buck in 2013 to record five hits and five RBIs in his first three games (via SNY). Nobody can guarantee he’ll regain the 38-homer 2023 form, but folks on both sides of this trade believed the bright lights, playoff expectations and Mets clubhouse makeup could benefit Robert after two very down years. Another big plus, Mets people say: Superstar Juan Soto welcomed Robert especially warmly, and the two share a back corner of the clubhouse together.

“We saw a really talented player having a tough time staying on the field consistently,” Mets baseball president David Stearns said. “He’s still a very talented player who’s a good person who works hard.”