White Sox fans already know how good Luis Robert Jr. is. The Home Run Derby is the perfect opportunity for him to let the rest of the MLB know.
Robert’s numbers have always been solid, but now that he has remained healthy for an extended period of time, he has blossomed into the star the White Sox envisioned when they first signed him. The 25-year-old has the second in the American League in home runs with 25, while also leading the White Sox in hits, (89), runs scored (60), slugging percentage (.569), and OPS (.902).
It’s much-needed publicity for a White Sox team that hasn’t given the national media much of a reason to cover them. It’s the reason they only have one All-Star and that they are an afterthought in the American League. It’s also the reason Adolis Garcia and Austin Hays were chosen over him as All-Star starters, despite the fact Robert has put together a more impressive season.
The disrespect is because of the team he plays for. We keep hearing about how talented the White Sox are yet on Monday, they are 15 games under .500. It doesn’t look like a winning streak is on the horizon so fans might as well enjoy one of their guys on the big stage for just a night.
The 2023 first-time All-Star has a chance to make some noise in the Home Run Derby. The last White Sox player to participate in the Debry was Todd Frazier in 2016. Luis Robert was 19 at the time, one year before he inked a $26 million signing bonus with the White Sox. Frazier made it to the final round before bowing out.
Robert has a chance to put on an even bigger show. The Home Run Derby propelled Vladimir Guerrero Jr. from an exciting up-and-comer to a household name. Imagine what it could do for Robert. His majestic 460-foot home run on Tuesday night is just a sneak peek of the type of spectacle he could put on in the Derby.
Initially, Robert didn’t even want to participate. Some of his fellow Cuban MLB players helped talk him into it.
“I talked with a couple of my countrymen who said they are going to participate in the Derby, and they convinced me,” Robert said. ‘‘Randy [Arozarena] and Adolis [Garcia]. We all said, ‘Let’s do it.’ ’’
Half of the hitter's success comes down to who is throwing to him. Robert will be using White Sox pregame instructor Luis Sierra as his pitcher in the Home Run Derby. Sierra is one of the team's batting practice pitchers.
Robert will be facing a stacked field that includes Adley Rutschman, Adolis Garcia, Randy Arozerena, Pete Alonso, Julio Rodriguez, Mookie Betts, and Vladimir Guerro Jr.
Robert has the easiest first-round matchup on paper against Rutschman, who has the fewest home runs of any participant with 11.
“It definitely is an honor to represent Cuba, my country,” he later told the Chicago Tribune. “I feel proud of it. We left our country with a lot of sacrifices, trying to look for a better future. We were able to get that. Now being on this stage, being able to represent our country, it’s something that makes you feel happy and just makes you proud, and you carry your country wherever you go.”
Hopefully, he can make the South Side proud too.
