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BALTIMORE \u2013 White Sox manager Will Venable<\/b> felt the best chance to score runs Sunday in Baltimore was to move a scuffling Luis Robert Jr.<\/b> down in the lineup.<\/p>\n
Robert Jr. was penciled in at the seventh spot, the lowest he has started all season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s probably a little bit of everything,\u201d Venable said of what hasn\u2019t been working for Robert Jr. this season at the plate. \u201c…Just as an observer that\u2019s what you see\u2026just a guy who\u2019s searching. And that\u2019s the tough thing too, is that he\u2019s committed to making adjustments. He\u2019s working extremely hard and has the right attitude about finding his way.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old center fielder, once a top MLB prospect who was expected to become a perennial MVP candidate, has batted a dreadful .182\/.269\/.294 in 53 games this season.<\/p>\n
Trade rumors swirled in the offseason as the Sox are looking to rebuild its roster with younger talent. Even Robert Jr. himself admitted he didn\u2019t expect to be with the team by Opening Day after the Sox traded All Star starting pitcher Garrett Crochet<\/b> for a prospect haul in the offseason.<\/p>\n
His trade value has plummeted since. Robert Jr. is in the final year of a six-year contract, but the Sox have team options to retain him in 2026 and 2027 for $20 million.<\/p>\n
The silver linings are that he\u2019s been healthy so far, which has nagged him in his career, and his speed and defense have surprisingly still provided a barely positive 0.1 wins above replacement. He\u2019s led the major league in stolen bases for most of the year, currently with 21.<\/p>\n
His walk rate has also improved (10.7%) and he has lowered the amount he chases pitches out of the strike zone.<\/p>\n
Still, he appears uncomfortable at the plate and hasn\u2019t capitalized on big opportunities to knock runs in. Robert Jr. struck out in the ninth inning of Saturday\u2019s 4-2 loss to Baltimore with two runners on base.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor him, it\u2019s just about him being comfortable and confident with his move. He\u2019s obviously one of the best athletes in the game and you see that in different parts of the game,\u201d Venable said. \u201cYou\u2019re not seeing that at the plate right now, so I think it\u2019s just about him being athletic, seeing the baseball and being on time to take a good swing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Starting pitcher Martin Perez<\/b> hasn\u2019t pitched since April 18 after he strained a muscle in his arm, but the left-handed veteran is still instilling wisdom to the Sox\u2019 younger hurlers from afar.<\/p>\n
Davis Martin<\/b> said after Saturday\u2019s loss that Perez, who was signed in the offseason, has coached him on attacking hitters in ways to generate quicker outs and last longer in starts. Martin has already logged a career-high 68 \u2154 innings pitched this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of credit goes to Martin. He shows me, early on, he\u2019s been in my ear about this \u2013 how you get guys out early, when you are behind, [when] you are ahead,\u201d Martin said. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to punch everybody out to get deep into games and have successful outings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s very much a vital role in all our daily routines, especially at home,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n