General manager Rick Hahn wasn’t ready to deliver a post-mortem on the White Sox’ underachieving season, but center fielder Luis Robert’s injury-plagued season has ended.
The Sox put Robert on the 10-day injured list before their game Saturday after he tried to play through a sprained left wrist for the last six weeks.
”Given the fact the discomfort seems to be persisting — I think you’ve all seen it as various at-bats and games have gone on — and the way games have played out the past week, we feel it’s better just to shut him down and get him completely healthy, which is expected to occur with the passage of time,” Hahn said before a 7-2 loss to the Tigers that extended the Sox’ losing streak to five games and dropped them to .500 (76-76).
Former Cubs shortstop Javy Baez smacked a three-run home run against reliever Jake Diekman during a four-run seventh inning. A Sox loss or a Guardians victory Sunday officially would eliminate the Sox from the American League Central race.
”There are 10 more games, and you have to challenge yourself to go out there and do your job,” acting Sox manager Miguel Cairo said.
Robert initially injured the wrist on a slide Aug. 12, but it gradually seemed to heal until he got hit by a pitch from the Mariners’ Logan Gilbert on Sept. 6.
Robert was 1-for-28 since Aug. 25 and often swung with one hand late in games because of the increasing pain.
Right-hander Michael Kopech and shortstop Tim Anderson also might be shut down. Kopech, who is on the 15-day IL with inflammation in his right shoulder, has experienced knee problems because of a cyst that might need to be removed, Hahn said.
Anderson suffered a tear in the middle finger of his left hand six weeks ago, and accelerating his rehab might not be worth a potential setback.
OK with Eloy
Eloy Jimenez hasn’t played left field since Aug. 26, and it appears he’ll finish the season as the designated hitter while coping with a sore right hamstring.
”I think, given the success he’s having in the DH spot, we’ll just let that ride for the next few weeks,” Hahn said before Jimenez hit his 15th homer Saturday.
Celebrating 700
Cairo sent a congratulatory text message to Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols after Pujols hit his 700th career homer Friday. Cairo and Pujols were teammates with the Cardinals under Tony La Russa.
”He was intense,” Cairo recalled. ”He wanted to be the best, and he did it.”
