The Orioles will take on roughly $3 million owed to Luis Robert Jr. for the rest of the 2026 season after claiming the outfielder from the Mets. CBS Sports reported that the move also gives Baltimore control over a 2027 decision: a $20 million club option or a $2 million buyout. The Mets are no longer responsible for Robert Jr.’s remaining salary or the 100% luxury tax penalties tied to it, while Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing could see more opportunities in New York’s outfield.
The transaction comes after Baltimore traded Taylor Ward to the Mariners on Aug. 3, making the club’s outfield thinner less than a month ago when it was selling at the deadline. Baltimore entered Monday at 68-69, but its improvement since July has kept the Orioles within reach of the American League’s last wild-card position. The Orioles are one game behind the Guardians for that spot, creating a reason to add help despite a record below .500.
The team’s claim was announced Monday, one day before the deadline for players to join an organization and remain eligible for the playoffs. Robert Jr., 29, has appeared in only 58 games because a back injury kept him out for almost three months. Since coming back from the injured list, he has produced a .454 slugging percentage, according to the source material.
He can still handle center field, and his 33 stolen bases for the White Sox in 2025 remain a recent indication of his speed. Robert Jr. was an All-Star selection and Silver Slugger winner in 2023, although CBS Sports characterized his current profile as less imposing than it was during that breakout season. Colton Cowser could stay in center field or move to a corner following the addition.
Either arrangement could send Leody Taveras back to a reserve role and give Baltimore a stronger offensive outfield for the regular-season finish. The claim is therefore a potentially useful late-August move for an Orioles team trying to repair the weakness created by its earlier trade while staying in the playoff chase.