The Cincinnati Reds are known for their star shortstop Elly De La Cruz, but the team overall hasn’t done well in recent years. While the Reds have a talented roster, they missed the postseason for a fourth straight year in 2024 after finishing with a record of 77-85 and coming in fourth in the National League Central.

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon, the Chicago White Sox were in talks with the Reds to trade star outfielder Luis Robert Jr. to

More on Albert Pujols' upside as a future manager, the Brewers' curious offseason, and the Rays' potential next star as well.

The White Sox were working on a deal that would have sent All-Star center fielder to the Reds, but the two sides couldn't come to an agreement, according to The Athletic. The holdup appeared to be how much of Robert's remaining salary the Reds would have taken on in a deal and Cincinnati ended up pivoting to signing Austin Hays in free agency.

Report: Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox Had Discussions About Luis Robert Jr. The Reds signed Austin Hays on Tuesday after failing to acquire Robert Jr. in a trade.

The second White Sox rebuild of the past decade has stripped the roster of nearly all its notable veterans, but center fielder Luis Robert Jr. stands as a holdover from the team’s brief two-year run as a playoff club and a still-prominent trade candidate.