Luis Robert Jr gets his 100th hit, steals a base and is one away from his career high

July 26, 2023

Cuban outfielder for the Chicago White Sox, Luis Robert Jr is having the best offensive season of his Major League career. One of the goals that he seems to be reaching this 2023 will be completing his first 20/20 campaign (20+HR/20+SB).

Last Thursday, July 20, "The Panther" went 4-for-1 with a run scored, one stolen base and two strikeouts in his team's six to two (6×2) victory over the New York Mets at Citi Field. Leaving his batting average at .275.

Luis Robert Jr hit his undisputed 100th of the year in the same first inning when he connected a powerful line drive to left field. Later, he managed to get on first base in the sixth inning on an error by local first baseman Pete Alonso.

In that inning he managed to steal second base to reach ten steals in the year, placing himself just one theft away from his career high of 11 bases stolen in 2022. With almost the entire second half of the season left to play, it's not far-fetched to think that Robert Jr could reach 20 steals and he already has 28 home runs, so this could be his first 20/20 season, or who knows, maybe he gets ambitious and reaches 30/30, time will tell.

The sixth inning was the winning chapter for the "White Sox" when they scored four runs, one of which was scored by Robert Jr on a two-RBI double by his compatriot Yasmani Grandal. This was the 65th run scored for the native of Avila in the year.

Robert Jr, selected to the 2023 All-Star Game, has averaged .321 in the last seven games with nine hits in 28 at-bats. In addition, during that stretch he also has four runs, seven RBIs, two home runs and two stolen bases. As well as a .310 OBP and a .607 Slugging average.

The date in the best baseball in the world featured a short slate of 10 games, where a total of 13 Cuban baseball players participated. The ballplayers from the Greater Antilles were divided into nine batters and two pitchers.

The ones taking the mound were relievers Yennier Cano (Baltimore Orioles) and Raisel Iglesias (Atlanta Braves). Both saw their teams win, although Cano couldn't maintain the Orioles' advantage over the Tampa Bay Rays, after being punished by his compatriot Yandy Díaz. Iglesias resolved the inning he worked without much difficulty to notch his 17th save of the season in his team's 7×5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

With bat in hand, Andy Ibáñez, also a national selection to the V World Baseball Classic, was the only one who went multi-hit. Going 4-for-2 with one RBI to help the Detroit Tigers blank the Kansas City Royals 3×0.

Another who reached the century mark in hits was Yandy Díaz when he hit a two-RBI double off the aforementioned Yennier Cano. However, the Orioles won 4×3 in ten innings and took the lead in the East Division of the American League ahead of Díaz and Randy Arozarena's Tampa Bay Rays.

Summary of Cubans in MLB (Thursday, July 20):
-Yandy Díaz (TAM) 5-1,2B,2RBI,3K,(.318)
-Randy Arozarena (TAM) 5-0,4K,(.272)
-Aledmys Díaz (OAK) 2-1,(.212)
-Andy Ibáñez (DET) 4-2,RBI,(.237)
-Lourdes Gurriel Jr (ARI) 1-0(.263)
-Nick Castellanos (PHI) 3-1,K,(.290)*
-Nolan Arenado (STL) 5-1,2B,2RBI,2K,(.287)*
-José Abreu (HOU) 3-0,BB,2K,(.242)
-Luis Robert Jr (CHW) 4-1,R,2K,SB,(.275)
-Yasmani Grandal (CHW) 4-1,R,2B,2RBI,K,(.250)
-Oscar Colás (CHW) 3-0,RBI,K,(.200)
-Raisel Iglesias (ATL) 1.0IP,H,0R,BB,ERA 4.08 (Save 17th)
-Yennier Cano (BAL) 1.1IP,H,0R,K,ERA 1.53
*refers to Cuban-American.