CHICAGO (AP) – Luis Robert Jr. could return to the Chicago White Sox in May, and the team also provided a positive update on third baseman Yoán Moncada on Friday.
Robert is on the shelf with a Grade 2 right hip flexor strain, and Moncada has a left adductor strain. The White Sox also are playing without Eloy Jiménez, another key slugger who has a left adductor strain.
“Yoan, our hope is sometime after the All-Star break in all reality. And Luis, it´s looking more like the six-week mark for a return to play,” general manager Chris Getz said before the opener of a weekend series against Cincinnati. “Yeah, it´s obviously positive news and we´ll take that. Those guys are impactful players for our major league club.”
The White Sox had not provided a timeline for Robert since the All-Star outfielder got hurt during a 2-1 loss at Kansas City last week. The oft-injured Moncada collapsed near first when he tried to beat out an infield grounder at Cleveland on Tuesday, and the team said he would be sidelined for three to six months.
Getz said the organization felt better about Moncada’s timeline after consulting with outside medical personnel.
“Sometimes you go outside of the baseball realm and you look at other sports industries and maybe there´s a common theme in another league and in this case we were able to do that and came to the conclusion or I should say the estimated time of return,” he said. “Through those conversations we were able to estimate an earlier return than we initially thought.”
