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Robert Jr. launched 11 during the month of June and tuned up for next week’s action with a three-run blast in the sixth inning off Chris Bassitt during a 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays on Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.\n\nThat 450-foot drive, with an exit velocity of 111.7 mph, per Statcast, was such a surefire connection that Robert Jr. looked down and paused for effect upon connection.”,”type”:”text”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-07-05T01:46:57.105Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\”:\”mp4AvcPlayback\”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-07/04/3535a1e7-df3ded24-cd1ffea0-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Luis Robert Jr. hits a three-run homer, giving the White Sox a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 6th inning”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:00:29″,”slug”:”chris-bassitt-in-play-run-s-to-luis-robert-jr”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”season-2023″,”title”:”Season 2023″,”type”:”season”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-673357″,”title”:”Luis Robert Jr.”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:673357″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-145″,”title”:”Chicago White Sox”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:145″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”hitting”,”title”:”hitting”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight”,”title”:”highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”in-game-highlight”,”title”:”in-game highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”game-action-tracking”,”title”:”game action tracking”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”2-yahoo-mlb-ads-feed”,”title”:”2-Yahoo MLB Ads Feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”yahoo-in-game”,”title”:”Yahoo In-Game”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”send-to-news-mlb-feed”,”title”:”Send To News MLB feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”greatest-plays”,”title”:”Greatest Plays”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”eclat-feed”,”title”:”Eclat feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”fan-duel”,”title”:”Fan Duel”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”international-feed”,”title”:”International Partner feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”home-run”,”title”:”home run”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/gprx6mdoxutvsw7inmhl”},”title”:”Luis Robert Jr.’s three-run homer (25)”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/chris-bassitt-in-play-run-s-to-luis-robert-jr”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”“What he does for this team offensively and defensively, it’s amazing,” White Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito said. “I’m excited to watch him in the All-Star Game, and excited to keep having him behind me hitting all those homers.”\n\nIt was during the offseason when Oscar Colás, the No. 2-ranked White Sox prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and a close friend and workout companion of Robert Jr., saw this success coming for the five-tool talent.\n\n“I knew that he would have a very good season,” said Colás, through interpreter Billy Russo. “I knew he would have success. I even told him, ‘Hey brother, you’ll have a very good season. You will hit more than 30 homers.’”\n\nAdded White Sox general manager Rick Hahn: “When we originally signed him, he projected out as a 30-30 guy when he became the player that fulfilled \\[his projected\\] tools. … I’ll say right now, he’s obviously an All-Star and well on his way to becoming one of the superstars in this game.”\n\nRobert Jr. didn’t originally have interest in the Home Run Derby, saying he was not a pure home run hitter, and he didn’t know if his game was built to succeed. Robert Jr. overcame a slow start in April, as he’s already approaching his single-season career-high in games played of 98.\n\n“Just the routine. Being able to play every day,” said Robert Jr., through Russo, of his ’23 success during a recent interview. “I feel myself getting better every day, and it’s because of that. I’ve been on the field on a daily basis and playing every day.”\n\nTodd Frazier was the most recent White Sox player to take part in the Derby, losing in the finals to Giancarlo Stanton at Petco Park in 2016.”,”type”:”text”}],”contentType”:”news”,”subHeadline”:null,”summary”:”CHICAGO — The first All-Star appearance for White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. also will include his first entrance in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby taking place at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Monday on ESPN at 7 p.m. CT.”,”tagline({\”formatString\”:\”none\”})”:null,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”storytype-article”,”title”:”Article”,”type”:”article”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-145″,”title”:”Chicago White Sox”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:145″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-673357″,”title”:”Luis Robert Jr.”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:673357″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”home-run-derby”,”title”:”Home Run Derby”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”ContributorTag”,”slug”:”scott-merkin”,”title”:”Scott Merkin”,”type”:”contributor”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”,”slug”:”gamepk-717480″,”title”:”2023/07/05 tor@cws”,”type”:”game”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”type”:”story”,”thumbnail”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/xn7psfn3darmaari16q4″,”title”:”Luis Robert Jr. joins 2023 Home Run Derby”}},”Person:673357″:{“__typename”:”Person”,”id”:673357},”Team:145″:{“__typename”:”Team”,”id”:145}}}
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15 minutes ago
CHICAGO — The first All-Star appearance for White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. also will include his first entrance in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby taking place at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Monday on ESPN at 7 p.m. CT.
Robert Jr. made the announcement about joining the competition on his Instagram account Wednesday.
With Robert Jr. in the field, there is only one spot left to fill in the 2023 Derby field. Here are the announced participants:
Pete Alonso, Mets (who won in both 2019 and ‘21)
Randy Arozarena, Rays
Mookie Betts, Dodgers
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
Luis Robert Jr., White Sox
Julio Rodríguez, Mariners
Adley Rutschman, Orioles
The bracket will be revealed tonight on ESPN at 7 ET/6 CT.
The 25-year-old Robert Jr. ranks second in the American League and tied for third overall in baseball with a career-high 25 home runs, trailing only Shohei Ohtani in the AL. Robert Jr. launched 11 during the month of June and tuned up for next week’s action with a three-run blast in the sixth inning off Chris Bassitt during a 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays on Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
That 450-foot drive, with an exit velocity of 111.7 mph, per Statcast, was such a surefire connection that Robert Jr. looked down and paused for effect upon connection.
“What he does for this team offensively and defensively, it’s amazing,” White Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito said. “I’m excited to watch him in the All-Star Game, and excited to keep having him behind me hitting all those homers.”
It was during the offseason when Oscar Colás, the No. 2-ranked White Sox prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and a close friend and workout companion of Robert Jr., saw this success coming for the five-tool talent.
“I knew that he would have a very good season,” said Colás, through interpreter Billy Russo. “I knew he would have success. I even told him, ‘Hey brother, you’ll have a very good season. You will hit more than 30 homers.’”
Added White Sox general manager Rick Hahn: “When we originally signed him, he projected out as a 30-30 guy when he became the player that fulfilled [his projected] tools. … I’ll say right now, he’s obviously an All-Star and well on his way to becoming one of the superstars in this game.”
Robert Jr. didn’t originally have interest in the Home Run Derby, saying he was not a pure home run hitter, and he didn’t know if his game was built to succeed. Robert Jr. overcame a slow start in April, as he’s already approaching his single-season career-high in games played of 98.
“Just the routine. Being able to play every day,” said Robert Jr., through Russo, of his ’23 success during a recent interview. “I feel myself getting better every day, and it’s because of that. I’ve been on the field on a daily basis and playing every day.”
Todd Frazier was the most recent White Sox player to take part in the Derby, losing in the finals to Giancarlo Stanton at Petco Park in 2016.
