Orioles Expected to Decline Luis Robert Jr. Option; Could He Fit the Astros?

The Baltimore Orioles are expected to decline outfielder Luis Robert Jr.'s $20 million club option for 2027, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR reported Thursday at 4:27 p.m. CT. Robert would collect a $2 million buyout and become a free agent at age 29. MLB Trade Rumors posted the story at 4:31 p.m. CT, and Darragh McDonald's write-up went up at 5:10 p.m. CT.

Robert signed a White Sox extension in 2020 that ran through 2025, with $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027, each carrying a $2 million buyout. His peak came in 2023: 145 games, 38 home runs, 20 stolen bases, a .264/.315/.542 line, a 129 wRC+ and five FanGraphs WAR, finishing 12th in AL MVP voting, per MLBTR.

The years since have not matched that. Over 2024 and 2025 he played 210 games and hit .223/.288/.372 with an 85 wRC+, MLBTR reported, while battling injuries. Chicago picked up his 2026 option, then traded him to the Mets for Luisangel Acuña and Truman Pauley. With New York he spent nearly three months on the injured list with a lumbar spine disc herniation and hit .223/.303/.399 in 58 games around that stint. The Mets placed him on waivers in August with roughly $3 million in remaining salary plus the $2 million buyout still attached. Baltimore claimed him; subsequent reports said the Padres and Rays also submitted claims, with the Orioles holding higher priority.

Robert appeared in three games for Baltimore before left hamstring discomfort put him on the IL for the rest of the year. The Orioles finished 79-82. Declining the option implies they could not find a trade partner willing to take on $20 million for 2027, MLBTR wrote. He still profiles as a bounce-back candidate at a lower price and, per MLBTR, remains among the more intriguing center-field free agents.

Our take: Could Robert fit in Houston?

Nobody has reported Astros interest in Robert. What follows is our analysis of how he might map onto Houston's winter, not a rumor. MLB Trade Rumors' Darragh McDonald did list the Astros, along with the Reds, Rays, Royals and Phillies, among teams that "might be interested," calling Robert "arguably still the most exciting player on the center field market," but that is MLBTR's speculation, not reported interest.

ESPN's early 2027 power rankings noted Houston's payroll "will be about $40 million below where it was in 2026," leaving room to spend. Outfielder Daulton Varsho is among the club's key free agents on that list, and outfield prospect Lucas Spence is flagged as a potential 2027 impact rookie. A healthy Robert would bring center-field upside and power that still flashed in 2023. The counterweight is clear: below-average offense since then (85 wRC+ across 2024-25, plus the limited Mets sample) and injuries that include the lumbar issue in New York and the hamstring that ended his Orioles stint. Any deal would almost certainly be shorter and cheaper than the declined $20 million option.

Houston still has no general manager. The Athletic's Chandler Rome reported Thursday that Brewers assistant GM Matt Kleine is the Astros' choice and the focus of the search, with no deal finalized. For the full candidate field, see our Astros GM search tracker.

Around the MLB

• Corbin Burnes stays in Arizona: Burnes will not opt out of his Diamondbacks contract, Bob Nightengale reported at 2:05 p.m. CT. He keeps four years and $140 million through 2030 at $35 million per year, with $11 million deferred annually, per MLBTR. Burnes had Tommy John surgery in 2025 after 11 starts, made three starts in 2026 with a 7.84 ERA, then returned to the IL with shoulder inflammation.

• Braves pick up Acuña and Albies: Atlanta exercised its 2027 club options on Ronald Acuña Jr. ($17 million) and Ozzie Albies ($7 million), the club announced, per MLBTR's Anthony Franco (5:49 p.m. CT). Each has another 2028 club option at the same price, theScore confirmed. Acuña: 20 HR, 55 RBI, 21 SB, .796 OPS in 107 games in 2026; Albies: 22 HR, 73 RBI, .685 OPS in 162 games.

• Bo Bichette stays with the Mets: Bichette will not exercise his buyout and remains with New York, Nightengale posted at 5:57 p.m. CT, crediting Will Sammon.

Sources: Francys Romero (BeisbolFR); Darragh McDonald / MLB Trade Rumors; Anthony Franco / MLB Trade Rumors; Bob Nightengale; Will Sammon; theScore; ESPN (David Schoenfield); Chandler Rome (The Athletic).

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