MIAMI — Luis Robert Jr. is the White Sox’ star, but another All-Star Game appearance likely will have to wait. That reality hit him moments after he went down with a strained hip flexor April 5 in Kansas City.
Having experienced his first one in 2023, the disappointment cut deep.
“For me, it was a dream come true,” Robert told the Sun-Times on Sunday. “When I was in Cuba, I saw from far, far away that it was something that maybe I could accomplish. And being there last year was a dream, especially being around other Cuban players. It was one of the best moments of my life.”
The Sox (26-66), who suffered another disastrous loss Sunday — 7-4 to the Marlins on Jake Burger’s walk-off three-run home run against Michael Kopech — saw Garrett Crochet named as their All-Star representative for the game in Arlington, Texas, on July 16. Being in Seattle a year ago was a motivating force for Robert during the offseason.
“Once you go, you want to keep going,” Robert said. “You want to go again. That’s what you work for, why you work hard every day, to be the best and be around the best.”
The injury has limited Robert to 37 games, and while a .797 OPS and 10 homers could be worthy in such a time frame, a .227 batting average is almost 50 points below the 2020 Gold Glover and 2023 Silver Slugger’s career number.
“It’s a small sample size, and over the course of more at-bats, the numbers will be where they’re supposed to,” hitting coach Marcus Thames said Sunday. “His chase percentage is down — that’s been a focus — and he’s doing a good job.”
Robert turns 27 on Aug. 3, so prime years are ahead. The learning curve is still in play, too.
“He’s a talented guy who is still learning how pitchers are attacking him,” Thames said.
“They’re spinning him [throwing off-speed pitches] early, pitching him backwards. Once he figures out what they’re trying to do to him, he’s going to be dangerous. The sky is the limit for him.”
Robert was 1-for-5 with a double, making him 18-for-66 with five doubles and three homers in his last 17 games.
It has been three months since the injury, and the thought of it still makes him wince. It was a blow to the team, and to his personal goals.
“As soon as the injury happened, I knew it was something that wouldn’t be possible this year,” he said of repeating for the Mid-summer Classic. “But you know what, I have to keep working and make next season a good year and see.”
Should Robert be an All-Star in 2025, it could be in another uniform, although the rebuilding Sox have contract control in his case and might be wise to let him play through a deal paying him $12.5 million this season, $15 million in 2025 and $20 million on club options in 2026 and 2027 if their thinking is they can win before he becomes a free agent.
But because Robert potentially could bring a haul of young talent in a trade, his name is out there in rumor circles as the July 30 trade deadline gets closer, although the Sox’ asking price is so high that interested teams might look elsewhere knowing an injury history that limited Robert to 68 games in 2021 and 98 in 2022.
In any case, Robert hears and reads about the rumors.
“You don’t want to be aware of that or pay attention to that,” he said, “but you have your teammates, fans and family texting you and talking to you about it. You know the possibility is there. But it’s not in my hands, so I don’t dwell on it too much.”
