Luis Robert Jr.’s stats are still not pretty, but the White Sox center fielder has shown signs he might be breaking out of a season-long offensive funk.
After going 2-for-4 in Friday night’s 5-2 loss to the Tigers, Robert was hitting .378 (14-for-37) in his last nine games with two homers and six RBI. That left him slashing .222/.279/.419 with 14 homers and 32 RBI in 72 games overall.
“The at-bats did improve [on the just-concluded road trip],” interim manager Grady Sizemore said before the game. “Sometimes it’s just having a little success that’ll maybe free you up a little bit and take the pressure off.
“But I definitely noticed a little bit of an adjustment with two strikes, and he’s just looked a little bit more comfortable up there. Hopefully, we can keep building off that.”
Before his recent uptick, Robert was in a 3-for-38 slump over the previous nine games. Pinpointing the reason for the 2023 All-Star’s struggles isn’t easy.
“Hitting’s tough,” Sizemore said. “I don’t know that there’s one answer. Every day you’re working on something — a feel, maybe it’s a mechanical thing. For him, he’s got to get that feeling back. Part of it’s probably confidence, some of it could be mechanics.
“But more than anything, I just want him up there free and just competing.”
One highlight in Robert’s otherwise grim stat line is his baserunning. He has stolen 20 bases in 24 attempts, and his 17 steals since July 1 are the most in the American League.
Injury updates
Third baseman Yoan Moncada (left adductor strain), who last played for the Sox on April 9, will start a rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday, general manager Chris Getz said.
Right-hander Jimmy Lambert underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Tuesday in Los Angeles, a Sox spokesman confirmed.
Righty Michael Soroka (shoulder strain) threw a simulated inning “that went well,” Getz said. “He’ll be headed to Charlotte, as well.”
Two more right-handers, Drew Thorpe (right flexor strain) and Jordan Leasure (right shoulder impingement), will throw another side session, “and we’ll move forward from there,” Getz said.
Flexen rebounds
Chris Flexen had his first quality start since July 29 against the Royals, but he still tied the club record for most consecutive starts without a win (19), set by Dan Wright in 2003-04. Flexen left with the score tied 2-2 after going six innings and allowing two runs (both earned), five hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
“Overall, solid — a good, quality start,” Flexen said. “Haven’t had one of those in a while, so that was a sigh of relief there.”
The Tigers scored two in the seventh off Fraser Ellard (1-2) and Jared Shuster to go ahead for good as the Sox fell to 31-98.
Shirt surprise
Even during a historically bad season, Sox players can find a way to lighten the mood.
Take Friday night, when some of them went through their pregame routines wearing a T-shirt featuring an image of Sizemore from his playing days.
“It was a nice surprise,” Sizemore said. “I was just walking out, and I saw a couple guys with it. I didn’t know what was going on. But it definitely got a good laugh.”
Javy heads to IL
The Tigers put shortstop Javy Baez on the 10-day injured list with right hip and lumbar spine inflammation.