When healthy, Robert still a superstar talent in center field for White Sox
Luis Robert is still a premier player, right?
Probably.
When Robert's healthy, the White Sox's center fielder is a dangerous hitter, he makes things happen running the bases and he's a Gold Glove-caliber defender.
When he's not - which has been often - the Sox are a much lesser team.
"There's nothing on the baseball field he can't do," manager Pedro Grifol said. "We've just got to keep him healthy, got to keep him healthy. He's excited to get going. He feels great, so we're looking for big things from him this year."
After missing almost four months of the 2021 season with a hip injury, Robert was on the injured list three times last year. A left wrist sprain in mid-August basically ended his season.
"Due to the injuries, I couldn't play as many games as I wanted to and unfortunately, that has been the case the last couple years," Robert told reporters at the Sox's spring training camp in Glendale, Ariz. "But I think in the time I spent on the field, I had good results, had good stats."
In 98 games last season, the 25-year-old Robert hit .319/.426/.745 with 12 home runs, 56 RBI and 11 stolen bases.
A well-rounded hitter, Robert slashed .354/.402/.506 against left-handed pitchers and hit 9 of his homers off right-handers.
"When you see my stats, they're good, but not good enough because I haven't been able to stay on the field consistently," Robert said. "But once I'm able to play 140-plus games, I think those stats are going to be better, when we're going to see what I'm really capable of on the field.
"In the meantime, I can't say anything else because I haven't reached that number yet."
Much like injury-prone teammate Yoan Moncada, Robert started training early this winter to prepare to play for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic.
"I had to do more stuff earlier than I usually do because I wanted to get ready for when I got here to spring training," Robert said. "I wanted to be ready for the World Baseball Classic. I wanted to do more stuff earlier than usual just to be sure I'd be healthy and in shape."
When Robert was on the IL last season, the White Sox frequently turned to AJ Pollock to play center field.
Pollock is now playing for the Mariners, so Leury Garcia is Robert's primary backup. If he makes the 26-man roster out of spring training, Billy Hamilton is another option in center.