Luis Robert out 3-4 months with torn hip flexor

White Sox star centerfielder Luis Robert will be spending most, if not the remainder of the season, on the IL. Robert sustained a torn hip flexor Sunday night against Cleveland while hustling to first on an infield hit. The team released a statement this afternoon regarding his injury:

The 23-year old’s presence will be missed offensively and defensively. His slash line is an impeccable .316/.359/.463 with a home run over 25 games. The 2020 Rookie of the Year runner up also has four stolen bases on the season.

The White Sox are already working without Eloy Jimenez, who has been out since the last week of Spring Training with a ruptured pectoral tendon, and outfielder Adam Engel with a strained hamstring.

While there’s no concrete replacement yet, Billy Hamilton, Leury García, and Luis González could all fit the bill and the void for centerfield. As for the Gold Glove winner, it’s too early to tell what his return timetable could look like. While this season isn’t out of the question, with an injury like that it’s certainly a long shot.

If the White Sox could have any speck of good news, it’s that the team has passed the 85% vaccination threshold for Tier 1 employees; on May 15th those employees last vaccinated will be fully covered—meaning a loosening of COVID-19 protocols.