Luis Robert Jr. has showcased his potential to take away an extra-base hit with a tremendous catch.
In opposition to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday on the Nice American Ball Park, the Chicago White Sox coronary heart fielder confirmed off his arm by doubling off a runner at first with a sensational throw after making a catch.
The sequence received right here at a vital half, too, with the Sox essential by one run inside the ninth inning. Reliever Reynaldo López adopted the double play with a strikeout to guard a 5-4 victory.
“I didn’t assume that the runner (Jake Fraley) would take such an enormous lead as a result of it was truthfully a routine fly,” Robert acknowledged by the use of an interpreter sooner than Wednesday’s sport in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Royals at Kauffman Stadium. “After I observed that, I assumed ‘Let’s try it.’ I took advantage of it.
“No person talks a lot about my arm energy, however that’s additionally as a result of I really feel like I don’t have a brilliant arm.”
Robert has been superb simply currently on the plate. He homered in that sport, a two-run shot that gave the Sox the lead for good.
He entered Wednesday with an eight-game hitting streak and slashed .462/.588/.923 (12-for-26) all through the stretch with three doubles, three home runs, eight RBIs and 10 runs. He hit a solo homer Tuesday in a 4-2 victory in opposition to the Royals.
Robert acknowledged he hasn’t been doing one thing notably completely completely different.
“It’s simply baseball,” Robert acknowledged. “You gained’t at all times be getting the outcomes that you’re hoping to get, and that’s baseball. However you must preserve working exhausting and the outcomes are going to be there sooner reasonably than later for those who work exhausting.”
Robert entered Wednesday slashing .261/.331/.507 with eight homers and 21 RBIs in 36 video video games.
“I truly see them in a very good place proper now,” Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol acknowledged Monday. “They’re engaged on swing selections tons inside the cages. We attempt to emulate (at-bats) inside the cages and dealing on swing selections. That’s truly very important to us. We’ve accomplished it now for a number of week and a half. We’re seeing some enhancements.
“It might be guys are getting extra comfy on the plate. There are a number of issues that might go into that. When you’re not swinging the bat properly, you are inclined to form of increase the zone somewhat bit, get your self in bother. However for essentially the most half our guys are beginning to shrink the strike zone somewhat bit and getting good pitches to hit.”
5 of Robert’s 9 walks have come all through the hitting streak.
“It’s about expertise,” Robert acknowledged of displaying persistence on the plate. “(With) extra expertise, you already know extra how they’re attacking you. I’m additionally capable of make changes each day as a result of they aren’t at all times attacking you an identical means. Then for you to have the ability to acknowledge that, I feel you do this with expertise.”
There moreover was a teachable second when Robert was pulled from an April 29 sport in opposition to the Tampa Bay Rays after slowing up on the way in which by which to first base. Communication was a component inside the state of affairs.
“I undoubtedly perceive that half,” Robert acknowledged. “They’re making an attempt to guard you, however I additionally know the significance of having the ability to play. If I really feel that I can play in the next proportion, though it’s not 100%, if I really feel like I’m able to run I’ll do it. I’ll push for it.”
Billy Hamilton to the IL as part of 4 roster strikes
The Sox made 4 roster strikes Wednesday, along with inserting outfielder Billy Hamilton on the 10-day injured guidelines with a left hamstring strain retroactive to Sunday.
“He felt somewhat funky (after a stolen base in opposition to the Minnesota Twins) however it wasn’t actually that unhealthy,” Grifol acknowledged Wednesday, “however it stored getting worse little by little and (they) did some imaging right here and (he) wanted a break.”
The Sox moreover chosen the contract of outfielder Jake Marisnick from Triple-A Charlotte, recalled pitcher Nick Padilla from Charlotte and designated reliever Alexander Colomé for challenge.
Marisnick slashed .264/.407/.391 with six doubles, one home run, 9 RBIs, 17 walks, 12 runs and eight stolen bases in 30 video video games with the Knights.
“Jake will play protection late, he’ll run, he’ll pinch run,” Grifol acknowledged. “He’ll get in there in opposition to left-handed pitching. Joyful to have him right here, a very good defender, a right-handed bat, can run the bases, steal some bases, excessive vitality, excessive motor.”
Sox remember longtime scout Dave Yoakum
Yoakum died Wednesday at his home in Orlando, Fla. He was 76.
Yoakum was an assistant to the ultimate supervisor with the Sox from 1991-2020. They made the postseason 5 events all through that stretch, along with profitable the World Sequence in 2005.
Yoakum was a co-founder of the Skilled Baseball Scouts Basis.
()