Star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. made a timely comeback to the starting lineup Friday night, giving the Chicago White Sox a much-needed boost as they defeated the Kansas City Royals 7–2 at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Robert had been missed greatly in a faltering White Sox offense since he was sidelined since early April due to a right hip flexor issue. However, he reminded teammates and supporters of his contributions to the ballclub with a single, forceful swing and a loud declaration. Robert ignited the South Side crowd and set the tone for the game with a towering solo home run to left-center in only his second at-bat.
After the game, Robert remarked, “It felt good to be back.”
“All I’ve been thinking about is helping the team win again, and I’ve been working hard to return strong.”
displayed signs of rust as he ended the evening 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. More significantly, the entire squad appeared to be affected by his zeal and drive. Four players contributed at least one run to the White Sox’s seven runs on ten hits.
Starting pitcher Erick Fedde had another excellent showing on the mound, throwing six innings of two-run ball and getting five strikeouts. Despite managing to score a few runs in the middle innings, Kansas City never posed a significant danger to Chicago’s lead.
Robert’s return gives optimism to the White Sox, who came into the game last in the American League Central.
When healthy, the 26-year-old is still one of the game’s most exciting two-way players and was named an All-Star in 2023. Friday night demonstrated how his quickness, glove, and bat can change the course of a game.
“Everything is changed by Luis,” manager Pedro Grifol stated. He contributes self-assurance, leadership, and explosive power. We are a different team when he is in the starting lineup.
The Royals fell to 37–28 with the victory, while the White Sox climbed to 22–42. Robert’s comeback might help ignite a turnaround, or at the very least, bring energy back to the ballpark, even though Chicago still has a long way to go this season.
All eyes will be on No. 88 as he attempts to build on an incredible comeback performance as the series continues on Saturday.
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