Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

White Sox Lose Luis Robert Jr. as Trade Clock Ticks

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Besnik Zekiri | Last updated Jun 29, 2025 4:24 PM ET

The good news? Right-hander Jonathan Cannon is back from the injured list and will get the start Sunday. He gives the Chicago White Sox five healthy starters, an endangered species in this rotation.

But it wouldn’t be the White Sox without some kind of injury gut punch. Before Sunday’s game, the club placed center fielder Luis Robert Jr. on the 10-day IL (retroactive to June 26) with a hamstring issue. He’s been out since exiting in the first inning of Wednesday’s finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Prior to today’s game vs. San Francisco, the Chicago White Sox placed outfielder Luis Robert Jr. on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to June 26) with a left hamstring strain.

The Sox will make a corresponding roster move prior to Tuesday’s series opener at Los Angeles-NL.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) June 29, 2025

Taylor Time, Trade Talks, and Tough Decisions

Michael A. Taylor has handled center field during Robert’s absence, and the Sox have won two of those three games. He went 2-for-3 on Saturday, though he did miss home plate trying to score what should’ve been an insurance run. Still, the man plays a smooth center and has speed, just like they drew it up when they signed him as a Robert backup plan this winter.

Robert, meanwhile, is sitting at a cool 65 OPS+, which, thanks to his stellar defense and 22 stolen bases, puts him at a replacement level 0.0 bWAR. It’s been bleak. This latest setback only complicates things further.

What’s On Tap Next?

The 27-year-old has two team options remaining at $20 million apiece. Chicago can decline them and buy him out for $2 million, a path that many considered a worst case scenario just a few months ago. Chris Getz and Co. hoped Robert would recapture his 2023 form and net a significant return at the deadline.

Instead, he’s on the shelf with the trade deadline about three weeks away. That doesn’t leave much time to restore value. Now, Getz faces a classic conundrum: sell low now, let him walk, or hold on and hope for something better next season.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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