4:58pm: As noted by James Fegan of SoxMachine, Robert told reporters that he has a Grade 2 hip flexor strain and doesn’t have a timeline for return, though he added that his current strain is not as severe as the flexor tendon tear that cost him much of the 2021 season. Meanwhile, MLB.com’s Scott Merkin relays that manager Pedro Grifol told reporters that Robert’s injury will require more than the ten-day minimum absence. Like Robert, Grifol added that he didn’t know how long the absence would be.
3:19pm: The White Sox announced this afternoon that they’ve placed Robert on the IL with a right hip flexor strain. Sosa has been called up to take Robert’s spot on the active roster.
8:55am: Friday was a tough night all around for the White Sox, beyond the club’s 2-1 loss to the Royals. Center fielder Luis Robert Jr. was removed from the game in the ninth inning due to an injury to his right hip flexor, and right-hander John Brebbia was removed in the sixth inning due to a right calf strain. Robert came up limping around first base after hitting a double, while Brebbia’s injury seemingly occurred while fielding a Salvador Perez grounder. Brebbia remained in the game to walk the next batter he faced before being pulled.
Both injuries come with some backstory. Brebbia dealt with a calf strain during Spring Training, and made only two Cactus League appearances prior to the start of the regular season. Robert’s situation is more ominous, as a right hip flexor strain cost him close to three months of the 2021 season.
More will be known about both players later today, though it would seem like a trip to the injured list is very likely. James Fegan of the Sox Machine blog reports (via X) that infielder Lenyn Sosa is heading from Triple-A Charlotte to join the White Sox in Kansas City, and outfielder Oscar Colas was also pulled late from Charlotte’s game yesterday. If Colas was also added to the active roster along with Sosa, that could mean the team is comfortable going at least one day with only 12 pitchers on the 26-man, at least until they can figure out a more direct pitching replacement for Brebbia.
Beyond the potential losses of Robert and Brebbia, Chicago already placed another prominent name on the 10-day IL just yesterday when Eloy Jimenez was sidelined with an adductor strain. Between these injuries and a dismal 1-6 record, it is looking like another long year on the South Side in the aftermath of the team’s disastrous 101 losses in 2023.
Robert was one of the few bright spots of last year’s campaign, as the outfielder bounced back from two injury-plagued seasons to hit .264/.315/.542 with 38 homers and 20 steals (from 24 attempts) over 595 plate appearances. Since he made his MLB debut in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, this marked Robert’s first regulation-length full season, and it showed the talent that made Robert such a highly-touted prospect both in Chicago’s farm system and coming out of Cuba in 2017. The White Sox gave Robert a $26MM bonus as an international prospect, and then inked him to a six-year, $50MM deal before he had even played in his first big league game.
While the severity of Robert’s injury hasn’t yet been established, another lengthy stint on the IL could impact Chicago’s plans at the trade deadline and beyond. Robert’s contract (which contains club options for 2026 and 2027) makes him one of the more cost-effective talents in the game, and since the White Sox seem to have at least one foot in the rebuilding waters, trading Robert would be the most logical way for GM Chris Getz to restock the farm system with talent. Getz downplayed the idea of a Robert trade during the offseason, and given the amount of team control remaining in Robert’s deal, there isn’t any immediate need for the Sox to trade him soon. An injury could well make this a moot point for 2024, at least, though if Robert misses a lot of time, it will lead to some inevitable second-guessing that Getz should have sold high on Robert this past winter.
Brebbia is a much more clear-cut trade candidate for this year’s deadline, as the righty signed only a one-year, $5.5MM deal (with a $6MM mutual option for 2025) with the White Sox back in January. If Brebbia’s calf is able to heal relatively quickly, it shouldn’t have much impact on his deadline availability assuming he pitches well after his return, though injuries have been a significant part of his history. The 33-year-old missed all of the 2020 season and most of the 2021 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, and a lat strain cost Brebbia close to half of the 2023 campaign when he was a member of the Giants’ bullpen.
Well, I’ve been frustrated with the Twins so far this year, but all I have to do is look at the white Sox to know it could be so much worse lol. I think we’re going to have our hands full with the Tigers and Royals this year…
If your hands are full of Royals and Tigers you’ll have to drop one to catch the Guardians.
Robert would be a HOFer if he played in most organizations. I feel for the guy being stuck with the White Sox. And, I’m a Sox fan.
What a career he could have had in a real organization. Superstar talent.
He’ll still be young enough when his Sox deal is over to have a good 2nd half of a career with another team.
Central might be a fun race this year:)
Sure, Yoda.
There goes their #1 trade candidate
I don’t think they were gonna genuinely try to trade him until next winter anyway.
Did the White Sox organization consider investing in an off season conditioning program? It seems to help in other sports…
WestVillageTiger: I don’t understand why non-pitchers come up with all these injuries. Don’t they stretch out before games? Why can’t they not trip over 1b, which has claimed players like Madrigal, Mendick, Eloy and Robert? They should make them take yoga lessons or Pilates classes to get some flexibility like they had when they were young. Oh. That’s right. They ARE young!
What is extremely frustrating about this, is this is not a new injury. Robert had this before in 21.. Why on this earth is the conditioning staff NOT ensuring this player has taken steps to stop such an injury from ever happening again?!
This is a conditioning issue, plain and simple. This staff has sucked hard since Herm Schneider retired.. This staff should be fired when stuff like this happens, especially when anyone can go to google and find way to stretch and prevent such injuries or at least reduce the chances.. same with Jimenez.. I mean the training staff cannot even stop that guy from getting hurt out of the box… Just frustrating (to say the least)
White Sox fans are hostage of their owner. Sell the team, Jerry reinsdorf.
Yep, it’s all JR’s fault when 2 supposed athletic grown man can’t keep off the DL. When player get hurt 1st thing you do is blame it on owner? REALLY? What a DA you are,
I would think that an owner, who loves to meddle with his teams personnel decisions BTW, would take steps to ensure that his org hires top notch conditioning people to stop what has been a reoccurring theme over the past 4-5 years with the same 3-4 players, OR taking steps to find out why this keeps happening from year to year.
While its not all his fault, he bears some blame to not have made this a priority for the org. Especially when he who wants a brand new stadium needs to have a good product on the field as well.
Jerry is one of the worst owners not just because he’s cheap and doesn’t actually care about winning, but also because he’s no good at business. He doesn’t understand that elite players are an investment that can improve his team’s value. Keeping those players healthy is in his own best interests, so you think he’d be happy to invest in several elite players and a top-notch conditioning staff to keep them on the field.
But the Sox will never sign a $100M+ deal while he owns the team and players will continue to be hurt because he’s too dumb to invest a couple million to protect several hundred million worth of assets that could make him even richer. Then he looks at the losses as justification to spend even less. Second-worst owner in baseball after Fisher.
Guarantee JR does not hire Trainers,
Getz selling prospects for money ? How does that help the rebuild ?
Spending it on bounceback candidates.
jimrad: It doesn’t. It just lines Reinsdorf’s already bulging pockets.
That’s not how it works.
Better to sell them for cash than have to let them go for nothing. I’d rather take a flier on a low-level prospect, too, but you take what you can get when you have a roster crunch.
Great Googly Moogly
White Sox offense has a chance to be historically bad this year. There are AAA teams with more thump right now.
Pitching has not been bad so far.
The Sox have scored 13 runs on 41 hits in 8 games.
7 games btw.
Pitching might be pretty good. Might even improve over the year since they actually have pretty good pitching depth.
Offensively though no meaningful help is probably coming.
Banix: That’s Getz’ plan since that dark day when he was named GM. We’re going to focus on P and defense. Anything about the offense, Chrissy?
With the exception of Crochet, it’s been bad.
14th in team ERA, 12th for starters. Even being at 18th for relievers qualifies as mediocre, which is better than can be said of almost any other aspect of this team.
I knew the offense would be worse, I didn’t think it’d be *this* much worse.
I knew the offense was bad, they just can’t catch a break so far.
We want Herm S back as our trainer!!!
And Alek Thomas dad as conditioner
Jerry must need lunch money.
Well least they have some catchers lol
That whole rebuild…yikes.
Its a “new” rebuild lol.
Aiden: No, not really. The Sox’ last rebuild was successful because Hahn added players like Gio, Moncada, TA, Bummer, Garcia. Those are players you rebuild around. Cease was a player to build around. Now they’re using a bunch of players who couldn’t make a beer-gut softball team. That’s NOT how you rebuild a team. They still have Moncada and Robert. When that moron Getz trades Robert for a handful of beans, they want be watchable.
Overrated and fragile, as always. This is why I’m glad the Diamondbacks didn’t trade for him.
His 4yrs at low market cost weren’t really up for trade, b/c no one would or should give up a crazy return for him or any 1 position player. Indeed he’s also a big risk having only been durable 1 season no matter how talented.
They could of traded him to the O’s and get a massive haul.
Or, they could HAVE traded him. Goodness gracious.
That’s what I’m trying to say.
Irony off the charts from a dback fan. 80 wins for the flukebacks this year
Ahhhhh, go eat yourself.
Has luis ever been healthy? EVER??
Eloy, Robert, et all. Cannot walk without getting injured. LOL. SMH SOS
First, Baby and now Robert. Surely, Moncada will be soon to follow.
Brokenheart: While Eloy and Robert get hurt tripping over their own feet, Moncada is a different story. He has a bulging disc that hits some nerves. I doubt that was his fault.
Sorry, but at this point, the perception is that Moncada and his enablers are good at excuses, same with these other guys. I’m sure they have no problem going to pick up their checks. While I put most blame on the conditioning staff of clowns they have, Im sure some falls on these prideful guys not listening as well to ensure they stay healthy.
If Moncada is that hurt then he needs to be released (as I doubt he retires and misses out on his existing big fat contract). However, then he probably would go somewhere, be amazingly good until the next big dollars that someone throws at him, Then ‘ow this’ and ‘ow that’ again.
Whether or not his bulging disc is or isn’t his fault is irrelevant. The injury impairs his ability to play at a level that commensurates with the expectations the club has of him and his salary. I don’t care what sort of season he has in ’24, the club should not be picking up his option in ’25. This should be the final season for somebody who was tagged as one of the cornerstones of the last failed rebuild. And when Moncada moves on, hope he takes Baby and Robert with him as they too are unhealthy reminders of the best that never was.
Moncada strained abductor tonight, Maybe “Big Smooth” Montgomery called up
There goes any chance of trading Robert this season and his trade value will plummet if he has a second extended stay on the IL for the same hip flexor issue.
The conditioning staff should be fired immediately, and keep doing so until they get someone with a brain to keep these guys healthy. I mean I get someone will call me a gym coach or something, or say Im not fun at parties, but for a guy (a guy who could be one of the best players in the league mind you) to get the same injury that shelved him two seasons ago (and for 2-3 months) and not make massive efforts to ensure that does not happen again, only to happen again, is just inexcusable.
All kidding aside, the injuries have been pilling up since Herm retired!!
Agreed, can we go ahead and authorize cloning technology so the Sox could clone Hermie?
Seems like it was just yesterday the Sox looked like the team of the future. Young Eloy and Luis leading the way. Exciting young team. Lots of firepower. Looked like they were gonna be the Central power for a decade. 4 or five years later they’re as bad as the Marlins. Was a steady decline too. Then all of a sudden Sox find themselves dreadful.
That was some illusion-packed dream you had… “Central power for a decade”?
Lasted eons shorter than the Axis Powers.
Don’t think you read the post correctly:)
He missed a little over 3 months with same injury in 2021. So see ya in july/august
just trade him to the dodgers already
Suitcase: He wouldn’t fit. He’s not Japanese.
More importantly, none of his money is deferred.
White Sox brain trust has liked to eschew the IL and role a man down in recent times. Has to be a serious injury for them to use the IL:). Reinsdorf, Getz and Grifol, that is simply unfair for an organization to have such a decided intellectual advantage over the rest of the league.
10 day, 15 day is for pitchers
Now with Moncada likely headed to injured list, might be good time to call up Montgomery
Moncada hurt? Noooooo.. Oh man, what a shocker….
“An injury could well make this a moot point for 2024, at least, though if Robert misses a lot of time, it will lead to some inevitable second-guessing that Getz should have sold high on Robert this past winter.”
This is a confusing sentence. “At least” is making it worse.