Luis Robert Jr. Knows What’s Holding Him Back, Amid Slow Start To Season

Luis Robert Jr.’s offensive numbers might not reflect it, but the 27-year-old center fielder has quietly remained productive as he waits for warmer weather—and his power numbers to heat up.

In his first 100 plate appearances, he has hit a pedestrian .170/.288/.310 with just 17 hits, four of which were homers. Robert’s .288 on-base percentage has largely been carried by his newfound discipline at the plate. 

Robert currently owns a career-best 14.2 percent walk rate and is tied for 11th in the American League with 17 walks. While his slugging percentage is down, Robert has found ways to turn many of these walks into extra-base hits with his speed on the base paths, leading the AL with 13 stolen bases. It is also a sign that the injury-prone outfielder is feeling healthy. 

Defensively, he has also made an impact. He robbed a grand slam in the first inning of Thursday’s contest, and ranks in the top 25 percent in range for MLB outfielders. 

But for a player whom White Sox general manager Chris Getz predicted could have an MVP caliber season, his .578 OPS is an eyesore. Despite his increase in walks, Robert still still striking out at a very high rate. His 30.8% strikeout rate ranks in the bottom eight percent of the MLB. 

This is despite the fact that Robert has cut his chase rate down by nearly seven percent from last season. The former All-Star is blaming his slow start on not capitalizing on other pitchers' mistakes. 

“If I am getting walks, I’m not swinging at pitches that are out of the strike zone, right? Then why is my offense not producing? Why am I not hitting the way that I can?” Robert told reporters following the White Sox 7-2 loss to the Brewers on Thursday, in which he went 1-for-3 with a stolen base. “I think it’s because I’ve been missing their mistakes. 

“That’s the only explanation I can find right now. Once I start punishing those pitches, my offense is going to be good.” 

Luis Robert Jr. has done it again 🤩 pic.twitter.com/zAn4JXywKr

— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) May 1, 2025

Getz believes once the weather warms up, his numbers will turn around, citing that the team's main focus in April was keeping him on the field. 

Robert told reporters in February that he would be adjusting his game during some of the colder months earlier in the season, due to injuries he has suffered during April and May. Some of that includes being a “smart player” and knowing the best times in the game to “push it a little bit,” Robert said. 

Robert has also suffered from the lack of lineup protection around him. On Wednesday, the Brewers walked him on four straight pitches that weren’t remotely near the strike zone to get to Andrew Vaughn, even though Robert represented the tying run in the bottom of the ninth. 

Getting Chase Meidroth back at the top of the lineup should help, along with the return of several injured players in the minors, including offseason acquisition Josh Rojas. On Thursday, Robert logged two hits in Meidroth's first game back and drove in four RBIs in his first four at-bats.

Robert added that pitchers have done a good job of locating pitches at the edge of the strike zone, which is why he can’t afford to miss mistakes over the heart of the plate. “You can’t miss their mistakes, especially not at this level. That’s when you have to make them pay,” Robert told MLB.com. “I’m getting closer. It’s just a matter of keep working and keep doing what I know I can do and get results at the end.”