Robert off to scorching begin: ‘This is who he’s’

PITTSBURGH — White Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol noticed Luis Robert Jr. shine whereas watching from the opposing dugout with the Royals. Now, the first-year skipper is glad to have the 25-year-old heart fielder on his aspect.

Robert continued his spectacular begin to the season Saturday evening with two hits, together with a two-run single that capped a five-run seventh inning, to assist lead the White Sox to an 11-5 victory over the Pirates at PNC Park.

That efficiency got here a day after Robert hit two house runs and tied a profession excessive with 5 RBIs as Chicago misplaced to Pittsburgh, 13-9.

Through the primary 9 video games of the season, Robert’s batting common is .366. He additionally has 4 house runs, 10 RBIs and a 1.098 OPS.

The pattern dimension is small. Yet Robert’s efficiency to date solely reinforces why the White Sox and lots of different individuals across the sport consider the native of Cuba has the expertise to sometime be the American League MVP.

“Dynamic talent, dynamic player,” stated Grifol, who had been on Kansas City’s teaching workers since Robert broke into the Major Leagues in 2020 earlier than changing former Chicago supervisor Tony La Russa previous to this season. “This is who he is. This is who he can be. I love everything he’s doing at the plate. He’s shrinking the strike zone. He’s getting good pitches to hit. And when he does that, it’s pretty special to watch.”

Grifol believes Robert nonetheless has loads of upside.

“He’s got five tools,” Grifol stated, referring to Robert’s means to hit for energy, hit for common, run, throw and subject. “Just trying ahead to watching him play a complete yr and see what he can do.

“We have to keep him healthy, which is very important because he goes out there and shags balls like it’s the seventh game of the World Series, and then he plays like it.”

Injuries have certainly been the one factor to derail Robert since he completed second to Kyle Lewis in AL Rookie of the Year voting within the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Robert was restricted to 68 video games in 2021 due to a torn flexor tendon in his proper hip. Last season, he performed in 98 video games, as he was sidelined by complications, blurred imaginative and prescient and a sprained left wrist, in addition to a bout with COVID-19.

However, Robert is displaying what he can do when wholesome to date on this younger season with the White Sox off to a 4-5 begin.

Starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (2-0), who allowed 4 runs in 5 1/3 innings on Saturday evening, was helped by two good catches by Robert. In his first yr with Chicago, Clevinger can also be discovering out how good Robert is after taking part in in opposition to him whereas pitching for Cleveland from 2019-20.

“Some of the stuff he makes look routine is unbelievable,” Clevinger stated. “The bat speaks for itself. Got energy that’s out of this world. [Pirates left-hander] Rich Hill is throwing balls 68 [mph on Friday], and he’s simply flipping them 380 toes.

“That one ball he ran down in the gap today, you go, ‘Oh wow, that’s a good play, that’s a play not many people at all make.’ Those little things go a long way with the outcome of a game.”

Robert was one among six White Sox who tallied two hits as Chicago completed with 14 on Saturday evening. He was joined by Tim Anderson, Andrew Benintendi, Andrew Vaughn, Yasmani Grandal and rookie Oscar Colás.

Vaughn scored 4 runs, and Robert and the underside three hitters within the order — Grandal, Colás and Elvis Andrus — drove in two runs apiece.

Anderson and Robert type fairly a dynamic duo on the high of the White Sox lineup.

“He is able to hit with a lot of power,” Anderson stated of Robert. “I’ve one job, and that’s to get on first, and he hopefully will get me in from there. Hopefully, he can maintain doing what he’s doing and stick with the success that he’s having.”