White Sox Not Done Making Moves Following Luis Robert Jr. Trade
Chicago picked up Robert’s $20 million option for 2026 and then shipped it out in full, landing second baseman Luisangel Acuna and right hander Truman Pauley while clearing real financial room to start moving again.
White Sox trade Robert and open the door for more moves
Robert leaves as the last major piece from the previous era, a player who showed legitimate star power when he was right.
In 2023 he put up a monster season with 38 home runs, 36 doubles, an .857 OPS, and he earned his first All Star nod plus a Silver Slugger.
“We’re talking about a player with five-plus years of control, one of the younger, exciting players in our game who hasn’t really gotten a runway at the major league level."
— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) January 21, 2026
Chris Getz on Luisangel Acuña: pic.twitter.com/SImwSPbNHD
Injuries and inconsistency kept getting in the way after that, and Chicago clearly decided it was time to cash out while the contract structure still made a deal possible, especially with another $20 million club option sitting there for 2027.
Getz says Chicago will be very active, and it tracks
White Sox' GM Chris Getz did not tiptoe around it after the trade. He talked about the new flexibility and straight up said the White Sox plan to be very active, with upgrades on the table across the roster, not just in center field.
Acuna, who is under team control through 2031, gives Chicago a real upside play with speed and versatility, and the Sox sound excited to give him everyday runway, whether that is at second base, shortstop, or even in the outfield.
He has already shown flashes, including a .308 debut stretch with three homers in 14 games in 2024, and he brings a longer track record in the minors with a .282 average and a .351 on base percentage.
Luisangel Acuña’s latest post on IG pic.twitter.com/FUtUcRvaM7
— Sox On 35th (@SoxOn35th) January 21, 2026
Pauley is more of a developmental bet, a 22 year old Harvard product taken in the 12th round in 2025 who has barely been on the pro mound but did post a 2.08 ERA in a tiny Single A sample.
Chicago’s next steps are the real point here. The roster has young pieces, but it also has obvious holes, and Getz basically admitted the club is ready to get creative to raise the floor in 2026.
That can mean adding outfield help, adding veteran arms to stabilize a thin rotation and bullpen, or simply using the White Sox’s low payroll to absorb money in trades to buy prospects and controllable talent.
After three straight 100 loss seasons, the Robert trade feels like the trigger for a busier second wave, with the front office now holding both roster spots and dollars to spend.
Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
