SEATTLE — Only the White Sox.
A day after swatting 50 balls over the fence in the Home Run Derby, center fielder Luis Robert Jr. was scratched from his first All-Star Game due to what the Sox termed “tightness” in his right calf.
Robert had an MRI in Seattle and is listed as day-to-day heading into the Sox’ second-half-opening series in Atlanta, which begins Friday in Atlanta.
“I feel good today. It isn’t anything serious,” Robert said via text.
“It is disappointing, but the most important thing for me is to be healthy and ready for Friday when we start the second half. I am sure I’ll be 100% by Friday.”
Robert lasted two rounds in the Derby, topping the Orioles’ Adley Rutschman before losing to the Rays’ Randy Arozarena. Along with the Rangers’ Adolis Garcia, Arozarena helped convince Robert — their fellow Cuban — to participate in the annual exhibition.
After the Derby, Robert said he’d had a fun time. One would think playing in the Midsummer Classic would’ve been even better and certainly more special.
But the snakebitten Sox, who are 16 games under .500, don’t do special.
Robert has a career-high 26 homers — tied for third in the majors — at the break. After playing only 98 games last season and 68 in 2021, his full-on breakout has been the team’s only real highlight.
Manager Pedro Grifol said last week after Robert decided to press go on the Derby, “I’m not too concerned about it, but he’s a big part of this team and we need him to come back healthy and ready to go for the second half.”
We’ll see about that now.
A few hours before the Derby, Robert mused about his first All-Star Games and others — maybe a bunch of them — to follow.
“But I have to stay healthy,” he said. “If I’m healthy, I’m pretty sure there will be many more to come.”
