‘We got to hit some markers’: Robert Jr nearing rehab games in recovery from hip flexor strain
CHICAGO — Chicago White Sox manager Pedro Grifol hinted at Luis Robert Jr. getting closer to going on a rehab assignment Monday, putting him a few steps closer to returning to active duty in the big leagues.
“We’re going to try to push him upwards of 90% here shortly and hopefully get him into some games in Arizona later this week and see how he responds,” Grifol said during pregame media availability.
Robert Jr. went down with an injury after hobbling into second base for a double in the ninth inning of a game against the Kansas City Royals back on April 5. He was later diagnosed with a right hip flexor strain, and has been on the injured list ever since.
According to Grifol, recovering from an injury like the one experienced by Robert Jr. is nuanced. He has to “hit some markers before we put him out here.”
“The first part is just get him running over 90%. Then we’ll just slowly get him into some games,” Grifol said. ” It’s going to be a little bit of a process. You’re talking about a target number of at-bats, making sure that he’s seeing the ball good. You’re talking about being able to run out infield base hits, balls in the gap.”
This also isn’t the first time Robert Jr. has experienced a hip-related injury in his career.
Back on May 23, 2023, the White Sox center fielder was placed on the IL day-to-day with what was described as, “soreness in his right hip/quad area,” per the Sun-Times’ Daryl Van Schouwen. Two years earlier, on May 2, 2021, Robert Jr. suffered a grade 3 right hip flexor tear in a game against the Cleveland Guardians that kept him out until Aug. 9 that season, per mlb.com’s Scott Merkin.
Last week, Grifol said Robert Jr. had a “minor setback” in recovery from his most recent hip flexor injury, but Monday, he said the team’s medical staff had taken those factors into account — Robert Jr.’s injury history and recent setback — And they aren’t afraid of re-injury with where their all-star center fielder currently stands.
“Not at all. We feel comfortable,” Grifol said. “But again, we have the right people over there. We have our strength-and-conditioning [people], our sports-science people, everybody there monitoring all that stuff. We’re in a good spot.”
Before the injury, Robert Jr. was hitting .214 with two home runs and four RBI in seven games for Chicago.
The White Sox are scheduled to take on the Washington Nationals Monday night, with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m. Central Time.
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