The Philadelphia Phillies approached the trade deadline like most teams—adding pieces to boost their offense—but during that hectic stretch, they reportedly turned down a player the Chicago White Sox were eager to unload.
On the final day of the deadline, the Phillies acquired two new players: outfielder Harrison Bader from the Twins and right-hander Matt Manning from the Tigers. But according to a report by Bob Nightengale, the White Sox were actively trying to get Philadelphia to take one of their own—and even begged them to make a deal.
Rumors leading up to the deadline had centered around that same White Sox player, who has now been with the organization for six seasons. In 2025, he’s batting just .215, marking his third consecutive year with a subpar average.
Who was the player the White Sox were trying to send to Philadelphia?
According to Nightengale’s comments on Foul Territory, it was Luis Robert Jr. The White Sox reportedly begged the Phillies to trade for him—but Philadelphia declined.
Robert Jr. is currently in what could be his final year with the team. The 2026 and 2027 seasons are both under club option, meaning Chicago will have full control over his future after this year.
It’s worth noting that the White Sox were largely inactive at the deadline, only acquiring pitcher Gage Ziehl from the New York Yankees. They didn’t make any moves on deadline day with other clubs.