Luis Robert Jr.’s time in Baltimore may be over before it ever really got going.
The Orioles declined Robert’s 2027 team option worth $20 million on Saturday evening, a move that sends the 29-year-old outfielder to free agency with a $2 million buyout. Given how little he played for Baltimore and how difficult it has been for him to stay on the field, the decision came as no surprise.
Robert appeared in just three games for the Orioles in 2026 after the Mets put him on outright waivers on Aug. 29 and Baltimore claimed him two days later. He went 2-for-11 with a double, a homer, three RBIs and a walk before landing on the injured list Sept. 5 with a left hamstring injury that shut him down for the year.
His season had already been disrupted long before that. Robert missed almost three months because of a lumbar spine herniation, then finished with a .223 average, four doubles, 10 home runs, 23 RBIs and a .702 OPS in 58 games for the Mets.
New York had acquired him in a trade with the White Sox on Jan. 20.
Before all of that, Robert built his reputation in Chicago over the first six seasons of his major league career. He finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting and won a Gold Glove in 2020, then added an All-Star nod and a Silver Slugger in 2023.
Baltimore could still circle back on a cheaper deal if it wants to keep a right-handed bat in the outfield mix, and Robert could fit that role if he can stay healthy.
The Orioles still have one more option call ahead of them. First baseman Ryan Mountcastle has a $7.5 million team option for 2027. Baltimore has already declined Zach Eflin’s $25 million mutual option for next season, making the right-hander a free agent, along with left-handers Keegan Akin and Trevor Rogers and right-handers Chris Bassitt and Andrew Kittredge.
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Orioles Still Have One Obvious Outfield Problem After Latest Roster Moves
The Orioles kept trimming and sorting their roster this week, a familiar offseason task for a club trying to balance flexibility with a clear need in the outfield. Jos Barrero and Albert Surez cleared waivers and chose free agency, Colin Selby was reinstated from the injured list and sent to Triple-A Norfolk, and Codi Heuer accepted an outright assignment to Norfolk, leaving Baltimore with 33 players on the 40-man roster.
Luis Robert Jr. remains the most notable name in the middle of it all, because the Orioles moved on from his contract option and sent him into free agency. Even after the latest roster moves, the outfield still looks like a spot Baltimore will have to keep addressing, and the front office now has room to keep working on it without forcing a decision just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Hold A Luis Robert Decision That Could Help Boston
Bostons offseason planning already has a familiar name in the mix, and it comes with a Baltimore wrinkle. Luis Robert Jr., now with the Orioles, is one of the offensive options the Red Sox are weighing as they look ahead to building a club that can contend in 2027, especially if they wind up moving Jarren Duran and need another dynamic outfield bat to consider.
Robert still carries the appeal that made him an All-Star in the first place, with power and speed that can change a lineup in a hurry. The concern, as always, is whether the health questions that have followed him in recent years will keep him from becoming the kind of dependable target Boston would want before committing to a major pursuit. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Risk A Costly Mistake If They Rush More Young Extensions
The Orioles have spent the past 18 months leaning into a familiar small-market strategy, locking up young talent before salaries climb and giving themselves more payroll certainty down the road. It is the kind of approach that can look shrewd when the player develops into a core piece, especially with deals that are often backloaded and designed to keep costs manageable in the short term.
But the same formula can turn expensive fast if the evaluation is off, which is why this stretch matters so much for Baltimore. The club has already made several such commitments, and the broader lesson from around the league is clear: a team can protect its future budget only if it is confident the player in question is truly worth the risk, because one misread can leave a franchise paying for potential that never fully arrives. [Read more 🡒]