When White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. was named to his first All-Star team on Sunday, he had already made it known that the Home Run Derby didn’t interest him.
But after talking to fellow Cubans who will participate, Robert changed his mind. On Wednesday, the Sox’ speedy slugger who has 25 home runs this season announced that he will participate in the home run contest at the All-Star festivities next week in Seattle.
“I talked with a couple of my countrymen who said they are going to participate in the Derby and then they convinced me,” Robert said through translator Billy Russo. Randy [Arozarena] and and Adolis [Garcia]. “We all said, “Let’s do it.”
Robert will be the first Sox participant since Todd Frazier in 2016.
“If he’s happy about it then I’m happy about it,” Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “It’s a good experience. I remember Salvy [Salvador Perez] doing it [when I coached in] Kansas City and he was pretty pumped about it and he had a really good time.”
Robert hit his 25th homer of the season in the Sox’ 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays Tuesday. The ball traveled 450 feet, the longest homer by a Sox hitter this season. He is tied with Pete Alsono of the Mets for third in homers in the major leagues behind the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani (31) and Braves’ Matt Olson (28). Alonso, a two-time winner, is in the eight-man field.
The others: Arozarena, Rays; Mookie Betts, Dodgers; Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays; Julio Rodríguez, Mariners; Adley Rutschman, Orioles; Garcia, Rangers.
The home run competition from T-Mobile Park will be aired Monday on ESPN at 7 p.m. CT.
The bracket reveal is today on ESPN at 6 p.m. CT.
Luis Robert Jr. on the Home Run Derby. Last week he said he wasn’t interested in participating. He changed his mind. pic.twitter.com/opiA0IZ5BU
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) July 5, 2023
