The White Sox will be without center fielder Luis Robert Jr. for the remainder of the season, MLB insider Francys Romero confirmed on Friday. Robert Jr. suffered a grade 2 hamstring strain in late August and has been on the IL since.
This latest update from Romero comes days after GM Chris Getz told reporters that Robert is “probably running out of time” to return to the field before the end of the season. According to Romero, Robert Jr. is still expected to be healthy by the end of the month. With only a few weeks remaining, however, there is little reason for the White Sox to get him back for a handful of games.
Robert, 28, made headlines at this year’s trade deadline when he ultimately stayed in Chicago. Getz and Co. viewed Robert Jr. highly and looked for a top 10 prospect in any potential return. Early-season struggles obviously didn’t bode well for Robert Jr.’s market, as it was all quiet on the Western front.
Leading up to the deadline, Robert Jr. did show flashes of heating up and improved his season totals. He will finish the year hitting .223/.297/.364 with 14 home runs and an 83 wRC+, very similar offensive numbers to 2024.
With the White Sox’s payroll commitments at just $17.1 million outside of arbitration-eligible and league-minimum players, all signs point to Robert Jr.’s option getting picked up for 2026. This latest injury doesn’t seem to impact his future with the team either, as Getz has already reassured reporters by saying, “We’re committed to Luis.” It’s a logical play considering that the former All-Star would otherwise walk in free agency. Instead, bringing him back allows him to potentially rebuild his value ahead of next year’s trade deadline.
We will continue to monitor Robert Jr.’s situation this offseason.
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