While dealing with trade rumors over the last month, Luis Robert Jr. has said he’s ready for anything but wants to stay with the Chicago White Sox.
When asked why that is after Saturday’s 6-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Robert suggested it was simply a matter of loyalty.
“This is the team that gave me the chance to play here, and we were good here for a couple years,” Robert said through Sox interpreter Billy Russo. “It’d be nice to get back to that, to have a good team and compete with this organization.”
But when that will happen is anyone’s guess.
The Chicago White Sox set an MLB record for most losses before the All-Star break Saturday, dropping their 70th game in typical fashion. Shaky defense and a lack of clutch hitting led to the loss before a crowd of 20,437 lured by a muscle shirt giveaway, leaving the Sox 43 games under .500 at 27-70.
“It’s another game we had an opportunity to get this one,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “We let it slip away.”
The previous record was 69 losses before the break, set by the Oakland A’s in 1979 and tied by the Baltimore Orioles in 2018. Of course, the All-Star break has come at different times over the years, and this one is a little later than normal. The Sox will finish with 98 games played before the break after Sunday’s game, tied with the 1973 team for the most in franchise history.
Still, this team went 93-69 only three seasons ago in 2021, so losing 70 games before the All-Star break is a catastrophic fall.
Robert, who went 1-for-4 with an RBI single Saturday, was realistic about his future.
“I know there is a chance (to be dealt),” he said. “Not just me, but the players, we know there is always a chance to be traded. That’s something that we can’t control.”
Starter Chris Flexen threw six strong innings but was removed in a 1-1 tie after 78 pitches when an infield hit by Ke’Bryan Hayes eluded shortstop Nicky Lopez leading off the seventh.
Grifol, who often lifts his starters early, only to watch his bullpen give games away, insisted: “I’m not a pitch count guy.” He added that he “liked the matchup” with Tanner Banks and pinch-hitter Connor Joe.
Banks hit Joe before former Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal struck out, fouling off a bunt attempt with two strikes, after doing likewise with one strike. Grandal broke his bat slamming it in disgust, though it was unclear whether he was disgusted with himself or his manager for asking him to bunt. Sox fans booed Grandal, perhaps out of habit.
After Andrew McCutchen reached on an infield hit off Banks’ glove to load the bases, Bryan Reynolds came through with a two-run single to right. The Sox pulled within a run in the eighth, but Reynolds added another two-run single in the three-run ninth.
The last time the Sox were 43 games under was the end of 1970, when they finished 56-106, the most losses in franchise history. With another series loss, the White Sox will finish the first half with a brutal 6-24-2 record in 32 series.
For the record, their series wins came over Tampa Bay in April; St. Louis, Cleveland and Washington in May; Colorado and Atlanta in June. The Braves series included a split in April and a win in the makeup game in June. The Sox have lost nine of their last 12 games with one remaining before a much-needed All-Star break for everyone but Garrett Crochet.
“You can’t hide what everybody can see,” Robert said. “It is what it is. We have to keep working hard to try to get a better second half.”
Robert said he hasn’t spoken to general manager Chris Getz about his future. When asked if there was hope for the Sox’s future, he said he didn’t know what plan they had.
“That’s the front office’s job,” he said. “But if they do a good job and put together a good team, yeah, we can be good again, like we were in 2020 and ’21.”
The big question is whether he’ll still be a player the Sox build around after 2024.
“I don’t have any idea,” he said. “I’m here. My mind is here. And until something changes, I’m here.”
