After 7 months and only 58 total games, Luis Robert Jr.’s tenure as a Met has ended, as the Orioles claimed him off waivers today. 

Personally, I liked the trade, since the team only gave up Luisangel Acuña, who wouldn’t have been part of the team’s immediate future anyway. 

The team knew exactly what they were getting out of Robert; if he stayed healthy, he would likely be a game-changer. 

If not, it could be a rough 2026, which is unfortunately what transpired throughout the season. 

After a hot start, Robert fell into a deep slump before landing on the injured list with a lumbar spine disc herniation. 

He endured several setbacks, which pushed his IL stay to nearly 3 months before being activated on July 20. 

Throughout August, he began displaying his power, hitting 6 of his 10 home runs and recording a .267 BA with a .841 OPS. 

He ended his Queens tenure with a .223/.303/.399 slash line, 10 HR, 23 RBI, 2 SB, and 0.8 WAR in 58 games. 

The team placing him on waivers was surprising, but it made sense. 

Anthony DiComo reported today that the organization was unlikely to pick up Robert’s $20 million option and re-sign him, which meant that he was on his way out anyway. 

Here are two effects that come from Robert Jr.’s departure:

Effect #1. Nick Morabito gets an audition 

With Luis Robert leaving, it opens up a spot in the outfield for one of the rookies to seize.

Enter Nick Morabito. 

Morabito, 23, had a short stint in the majors in May, but has otherwise played in Triple-A Syracuse for most of the season. 

He’s performed solidly, hitting .254/.355/.388 with 13 HR, 47 RBI, 42 SB, 14 2B, and a 57:106 BB rate. 

Morabito struggled in his initial chance, going 0-for-11 with 0 walks and 9 strikeouts. 

Now, he gets a second chance and a full-time audition to prove that he can play a key role in the team’s plan for 2027 and beyond. 

Effect #2. Mark Vientos has a role 

Since Luis Robert Jr. returned, he has served as a near-everyday player at DH and in different parts of the outfield. 

This would’ve left Mark Vientos with a murky role, as manager Andy Green revealed that it won’t be a perfectly laid-out path when he returns and that his role will be dictated based on how he and others perform. 

Now, he has a much clearer path to playing time, as he can slot in at DH versus left-handed pitching while picking up occasional starts against right-handed pitching. 

Vientos has unsurprisingly mashed in Triple-A, hitting 5 HR and driving in 8 RBI in 23 at-bats, including smashing 3 of them in one game. 

It’s unfortunate that it has come to this point for Vientos, but he can turn around his season and career if he shows the consistency, power, and talent that he certainly has.