Since the start of free agency, the baseball world has been operating under the belief that Luis Robert Jr. would be taking the field in a Chicago White Sox uniform next season.
In fact, White Sox GM Chris Getz said as much Monday at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tennessee.
"Luis Robert is a very difficult player to move and expect that your club is going to get better because of it," Getz said. "That being said, there might be a club out there that is willing to offer something that you feel can help you immediately and in the long term.
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"But we're talking about one of the best players in baseball, and we're very fortunate to have him with the Chicago White Sox. So I have a tough time seeing him wearing another uniform next year."
This is in step with reporting from USA Today's Bob Nightengale that the White Sox are open to trading every player on the roster except for one — Robert Jr.
Another insider, however, is pushing back on the notion that the All-Star Slugger is off the market.
In an interview with NBC Sports Chicago's Chuck Garfien, MLB Network's Jon Morosi said he would not be surprised to see the White Sox move Robert Jr. this offseason.
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"I could see anybody [on the White Sox] getting traded," Morosi said. "When you underachieve by the magnitude that they did, I have a hard time saying these players are untouchable.
"They're all obviously good major league players, but the composition of them did not work. The whole was much lesser than the sum of the parts for the White Sox in 2023. And when you have that kind of a team, you should have nothing that says these players are off limits.
He also suggested that trading Robert Jr. would allow the White Sox to build their team up more quickly.
"Look at the Twins three or four years ago," he said. "There was very little indication that they were going to be as good as they are right now, and I think it's important to keep an eye on those types of clubs and how quickly you can get better."
Luis Robert Jr. is under team control until 2027, so any package the White Sox would get in return would be monstrous.
With Dylan Cease presumably gone, a deal for Robert Jr. would likely require a parcel of young studs on the mound. Morosi pointed to the Mariners as a logical trade partner.
"The Mariners have the kind of pitching that the White Sox want," he said. "Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo — if it's Robert, you would even have to think about Logan Gilbert. That's the place to go for pitching."
Listen to the full interview with Morosi on the "White Sox Talk Podcast" here.