Aug 12, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) hits a home run against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
In a last-ditch effort to save some money and ease the impending logjam in the outfield, the Mets placed veteran center fielder Luis Robert Jr. on waivers Saturday, in hopes of another team potentially stepping up and taking on the remainder of his salary.
It worked.
The Baltimore Orioles claimed the 29-year-old, as first reported by MLB.com on Monday afternoon, and will pay off the remaining $3 million of his base $20 million salary this season and either the $20 million team option on his deal next season or a $2 million buyout.
The oft-injured outfielder, who missed three months earlier this season due to a back injury, was made available at the trade deadline, but posted a paltry .347 OPS in the seven games leading up to the Aug. 3 marker. On Saturday, the Mets tested the waters to see if there were any takers by putting him on waivers. He slashed .288/.347/.576 (.922 OPS) with six home runs and 11 RBI over his last 21 games.
Placing a player on waivers is a common move across Major League Baseball this time of year. A player must be on a roster by Sept. 1 to be eligible to play in the postseason, and with trades barred following the deadline, waivers are a way for teams to get rid of high-priced, underperforming veterans in hopes that a contending team would take a chance on a potential low-risk spark.
The Orioles — led by another Met in slugger Pete Alonso — entered Monday night’s action just one game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final American League Wild Card spot.
It is normally rare for another team to claim such players off of waivers. Still, Baltimore’s renewed interest in Robert is understandable. When healthy, he has still shown flashes of the All-Star who hit 38 home runs with the Chicago White Sox in 2023. Orioles outfielders this season have combined to post a 0.0 WAR while their centerfielders own a .652 OPS that ranks 24th in the majors.
For a player who was such a big part of David Stearns’ plans for 2026, along with Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien, and Bo Bichette, Robert became obsolete despite his three-week resurgence. Rookies Carson Benge and AJ Ewing have established themselves as the future of the Mets’ outfield, joining Juan Soto.
For more on Luis Robert Jr. and the Mets, visit AMNY.com
