Robert injury more bad news as White Sox lose fourth straight
Heading into Thursday afternoon's game against the Guardians, Luis Robert was hitless in his last 20 at-bats.
The White Sox's star center fielder broke out of the slump with a leadoff double in the fourth inning and a single in the sixth, two good signs for an offense that's been stuck in park lately.
In the eighth inning, Robert grounded out to shortstop and had to come out of the game with a strained right groin.
The Sox lost another key player to injury, and they lost to Cleveland 6-3.
"I was feeling more comfortable at home plate and now this thing happened," Robert told reporters through a translator.
Robert's injury is nothing like the torn hip flexor that kept him on the sidelines for over three months last season, but the news is not good for a White Sox team that has dropped four straight.
"He's got a little minor groin strain," manager Tony La Russa said. "Might mean some IL time but (trainer James) Kruk said it's something that should heal quickly."
After bad weather postponed games on Monday and Tuesday, the Sox scored 2 total runs while being swept by the Guardians in Wednesday's doubleheader and scratched out 3 more Thursday.
The White Sox have scored 3 runs or less in seven games in a row. It's still early, but Robert (.205), Jose Abreu (.220), Yasmani Grandal (.111) and Eloy Jimenez (.226) are all off to slow starts and Yoan Moncada has yet to play a game due to an oblique injury.
Robert looks like he's going to join Moncada on the IL, but right fielder AJ Pollock (hamstring) is expected to be back in the lineup Friday night against the Twins.
Lucas Giolito (abdomen) is scheduled to come off the IL and start at Minnesota Sunday, but Lance Lynn (knee) is out until June and infielder Josh Harrison didn't play Thursday after injuring his right shoulder in Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader.
"We dealt with this a lot last year and it's just one of those things where we have to keep stepping up," said Dylan Cease, who started against Cleveland Thursday. "We're not going to hold our heads down. It's a part of the game and every team deals with it."
Cease pitched 5⅓ innings against the Guardians and allowed 4 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks.
"I thought Dylan pitched well and held them down," La Russa said. "They had some chances and he pitched out of it."
Humber anniversary:
Thursday marked the 10th anniversary of White Sox right-hander Philip Humber pitching the 21st perfect game in major-league history.
Humber recorded the gem in the Sox's 4-0 win at Seattle. He threw 96 pitches vs. the Mariners and only had two 3-ball counts.