Chicago White Sox’s center fielder, Luis Robert Jr. was pulled from the game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday after jogging lightly to first base on a ground ball back to the pitcher. Leading off the bottom of the first inning, Robert hit a ground ball to the third-base side of the mound, where Rays pitcher Calvin Faucher fielded it and threw to first. It would have been a close play if not for Robert taking it easy down the line.
After the game, Robert said he didn’t run it out because he was hurting. He said that he hustled a lot down the line the night before, and his legs were a little tired. His right hamstring was a little tight, so he decided to play conservative that day. Robert did not tell the manager because he knew he wouldn’t let him play.
White Sox’s Struggle
The White Sox is having a difficult time as they are spiraling down after 28 games. On Saturday, starter Lance Lynn took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, protecting a 3-0 lead. However, Tampa Bay proceeded to score ten runs in the inning, which included three home runs. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the Rays are the fourth team in the expansion era to score ten runs in a game after recording no hits after at least six innings. Tampa scored them all in one inning.
The inning was a microcosm of the White Sox’s season as their starting pitching, bullpen, and defense let them down. The loss dropped the White Sox into a last-place tie with the Kansas City Royals. Their defeat to the Rays on Friday already guaranteed they would play the first month of the season without winning a series. The Rays can sweep the seven-game season series over the White Sox with a win on Sunday.
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