Luis Robert Jr.’s season ends as the Chicago White Sox center fielder goes on the IL with a mild MCL sprain

Luis Robert Jr. slid awkwardly while stealing second base in the first inning of Sunday’s rainy game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

“As soon as I did it, I felt something in my knee and right away I knew something was wrong,” Robert said through an interpreter Tuesday.

The Chicago White Sox center fielder remained in the game and tracked down a flyball for the final out of the bottom of the first.

“I tried to play through but after the flyball to center field, I felt, it wasn’t good,” Robert said.

Robert exited in the second inning. That turned out to be his final game of 2023.

The Sox placed Robert on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a mild MCL sprain in his left knee. According to the Sox, Robert is expected to recover with rest and rehabilitation in two to four weeks.

It was a fantastic season for Robert, who established career highs in nearly every offensive category.

Robert slashed .264/.315/.542 with 36 doubles, 38 home runs, 80 RBIs, 90 runs, 20 stolen bases and an .857 OPS in 145 games.

He ranks second in the American League in home runs and extra-base hits (75), third in slugging percentage, fifth in total bases (296), tied for sixth in OPS and seventh in doubles.

“I’m proud of playing as many games as I did,” Robert said. “I’ve said that if I’m ever to play every day, I know I’m able to do good things on the field.

“That’s why to me it’s the biggest accomplishment for me this year.”

Robert said the wet conditions were “a factor” for Sunday’s injury, adding “I didn’t position my knee in the right way and that contributed to that too.”

The stolen base was his 20th of the season. He is the only player in majors this season to record 35-plus doubles, 35-plus home runs, 80-plus RBIs, 90-plus runs and 20-plus stolen bases.

And he is the only player in Sox history to hit 35-plus doubles and 35-plus home runs and steal 20-plus bases in a single season.

“The ability is ability, I’ve seen it year in and year out,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “What stood out to me is what most people questioned, his ability to play close to a full season, his ability to play with some soreness and pain and he showed that this year.

“His toughness was really impressive to me. The ability, we’ve seen it, we know what it is. He put some things together this year that match his God-given ability and I think he will improve on that but his toughness was something I was impressed with.”

The 38 home runs are a franchise record by a center fielder, the most by a Sox outfielder since Jermaine Dye (44) in 2006 and the most by a Sox player since Todd Frazier (40) in 2016.

He earned his first All-Star selection.

“We’re very proud as an organization to be a part of his development and also just lucky and fortunate to be able to watch him go out there and show us what he’s capable of doing,” general manager Chris Getz said. “It’s a minor injury and we’ve got a short window left of this season here, it doesn’t make any sense to push him.

“He should feel very proud, as an organization we are very proud of the player he’s become.”

In two more roster moves Tuesday, the Sox selected the contract of outfielder Tyler Naquin from Triple-A Charlotte and transferred pitcher Jimmy Lambert to the 60-day IL.

Naquin was acquired Aug. 7 from the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations. He is a career .264 hitter with 61 home runs, 237 RBIs and 226 runs in 557 games during seven major-league seasons with Cleveland (2016-20), Cincinnati (2021-22) and the New York Mets (2022).

Lambert, who has been on the IL since Sept. 4, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle Sept. 20 and is expected to recover in two to three months.

After injuries limited him to 68 games in 2021 and 98 in 2022, Robert nearly got to his goal of 150 this season. He learned a lot along the way.

“You can learn every year,” Robert said. “I definitely learned a lot this year. For next year, I would like to learn or be better driving in runners in scoring position. That’s an area where I can improve. In situations of the game, there’s some stuff I think I can do better, too. Be more aware of what the pitchers want to do with me in different situations. Don’t chase too many pitches.

“Those are things I can improve for next year.”

White Sox crushed 15-4 in series opener

Christian Walker had two home runs and six RBIs as the Arizona Diamondbacks thumped the Sox 15-4 in front of 14,339 at Guaranteed Rate Field on Tuesday. He had a solo home run in the second inning, a three-run triple during a six-run fifth and a two-run home run in the sixth.

Eloy Jiménez hit a three-run home run in the first and drove in a run with a single in the second for the Sox (60-97).