White Sox thrilled to get a healthy dose of Robert during a trying season
Luis Robert Jr. has already hit the most home runs (31) by a center fielder in White Sox history.
He's reached 30-plus homers and 30 doubles, only the 10th Sox player to hit that twin milestone.
If he steals 4 more bases, Robert will join Magglio Ordonez as the only player in franchise history with 30 or more home runs and doubles and 20 stolen bases.
For as bad as the White Sox's season has been, Robert has been the exact opposite as an individual.
"Yes, of course, those numbers mean something," Robert said through a translator. "All those individual numbers mean something for you. Even though this is a team, it's what you do that makes you help the team. It means you are doing good."
From the time he left his native Cuba and joined the Sox in 2017 after agreeing to a whopping $26 million signing bonus, Robert's potential for greatness was there.
Then, health issues created one stall after another.
Last season, Robert was limited to 98 games and he was on the injured list three times with a sore left wrist, blurred vision and COVID-19 related symptoms.
In 2021, Robert missed over half the season with a torn right hip flexor.
He missed a big chunk of the 2018 minor-league season with a left thumb injury.
The 26-year-old Robert played in his 112th game of the year for the White Sox Wednesday night against the Yankees. He played in a then-career-high 98 games last season.
As fate would have it, Robert made an early exit Wednesday after spraining his right pinky finger on a successful steal of third base in the third inning. X-rays were negative and he's day-to-day.
"I've told you guys before, the most important for me and I think the key for me this year has been that I've been able to be on the field and play every day," Robert said. "That's my goal. I know if I'm able to be on the field, I can perform and do what I know I can do. The results are there."
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound all-star has done everything he can to help the Sox, but MLB is not a one-man show. Nearing the end of his first full 162-game season, he's just trying to lead by example.
"Each one of us has to take care of what we need to do to win games," Robert said. "If you prepare yourself to go out and win games, that's all you want. That's what we are trying to do."
Pedro Grifol always knew Robert had greatness in him when he was watching from across the field while coaching the Royals.
Managing Robert this season has been one of Grifol's few joys. Seeing Robert stay healthy go the post nearly every day might top the list.
"We know as a staff and organization, if we have him on the field 150 games we're going to get pretty (darn) good production," Grifol said. "And talking about it, being on the field, you can't just be on the field 150 games talking about it. You have to eat right, sleep right, you have to work, get in the weight room, respect the game, respect your body.
"He's doing all of the above. That's why he's on the field every day. You can't burn the candle at both ends and think you're going to have success. So he's committed to this, to 150 games, or more. That's a great goal because there are a lot of things attached to that goal. Respecting the game and character and winning and becoming a champion is what this is about. That's the mentality and when you're talking about leadership, that's what leadership is about."