The Cincinnati Reds had been linked to former All-Star Luis Robert Jr. for the better part of two years. The once promising young outfielder saw a severe downturn in production coupled with multiple trips to the injured list over the past two seasons, and the rebuilding Chicago White Sox made the decision to put Robert on the trade block.
The Reds made several attempts to acquire Robert, but the White Sox were never willing to budge on their sky-high asking price. Despite the centerfielder's combined .223/.288/.372 slash line over the past two seasons, Chicago remained convinced that Robert was still a valuable asset.