An more and more soggy infield couldn’t decelerate White Sox middle fielder Luis Robert Jr.
Robert has been jockeying for the major-league lead in stolen bases and added two to his tally Sunday, together with his second being the deciding issue within the Sox’ rain-shortened, 5-4 comeback victory in opposition to the Astros.
After driving within the tying run with a two-out single within the sixth inning, Robert took off for second base as rain fell on Price Discipline. His fifteenth steal of season put him in scoring place forward of Edgar Quero’s single, which introduced him residence to present the Sox a lead that held up when rain worn out the remainder of the sport an inning later.
‘‘It’s been an actual weapon, clearly,’’ supervisor Will Venable stated after the sport. ‘‘For him to steal all of the bases he has with out actually getting going offensively — and clearly the final couple of days have been quite a bit higher from him — it’s an actual weapon for us.’’
It was a stable offensive day for Robert, who went 2-for-3 and slowly is rising from a season-opening hunch that also has his batting common at .195.
If the Sox can get Robert constantly doing what he has been doing for the final 9 video games — 11-for-33 with three residence runs, 9 RBI, 9 runs scored, eight stolen bases and 7 walks — commerce hypothesis involving the 2023 Silver Slugger winner may return forward of the deadline, doubtlessly giving common supervisor Chris Getz a possibility so as to add extra expertise to his long-term rebuilding undertaking.
‘‘Typically we are able to get in his means; he’s such a great athlete,’’ Sox hitting coach Marcus Thames stated of Robert earlier than the sport. ‘‘And typically you say, ‘Hey, don’t chase, don’t swing at this, don’t swing at that,’ and also you change into non-athletic. And he’s probably the most athletic guys on this league.
‘‘Now we’re simply telling him to simply have enjoyable. ‘Exit and have enjoyable and be your self.’ And he’ll come again to be that man that we predict he could be.’’
Talking from expertise
Thames stated he texted with shortstop prospect Colson Montgomery, who not too long ago was despatched away from Triple-A Charlotte to attempt to get proper in Arizona after a depressing begin to his season.
Thames stated he shared some knowledge gained from his days as a struggling prospect 2½ a long time in the past.
‘‘I form of instructed him I consider in him,’’ Thames stated. ‘‘I see some issues that he can do this I do know can work up right here. I simply gave him a narrative about myself in 1999, as a prospect with the Yankees. I used to be in Double-A, I obtained despatched to the complicated, the identical actual factor.
‘‘It sucked. It didn’t really feel good. You felt form of dejected. However on the finish of the day, man, you continue to have some spikes on, you’ve nonetheless obtained an opportunity to go play. And you already know persons are behind you after they’re doing that for you. He’s obtained a corporation, an entire group, that’s behind him.’’
It will definitely labored out for Thames. Although he spent three years on the Double-A stage, he made his debut with the Yankees in 2002 and performed in 10 major-league seasons earlier than beginning his post-playing profession as a hitting coach.
Roster strikes and an early exit
With infielder Josh Rojas coming off the injured checklist, infielder Bobby Dalbec was designated for task.
The Sox additionally shuffled their bullpen. Left-hander Fraser Ellard went on the 15-day IL with a strained left lat, and right-hander Penn Murfee was despatched to Charlotte. Left-hander Tyler Gilbert and right-hander Caleb Freeman had been referred to as up from Charlotte to affix the reduction corps.
In the meantime, left fielder Andrew Benintendi departed the sport early with tightness in his left calf. He was described as day-to-day.
