Does the centerfielder need a change of scenery or is he just broken?
In 2023, centerfielder Luis Robert, Jr. was a standout for an otherwise dreadful White Sox team. Pretty much nobody else in the lineup could hit their way out of a paper bag, but Robert slugged 28 home runs, and finished 12th in MVP voting despite playing for a 61-loss team.
The following season did not go as well. The 2024 White Sox set a new record for losses in a season, and instead of being a lone standout on a team full of bad players, Robert was bad as well. His on-base percentage dropped under .300 and he hit just 14 home runs. And there were times in the field when it looked like he definitely wasn’t giving full effort.
The White Sox are slightly better, but Robert is having another down season. It isn’t clear if 2023 was just an aberration in an otherwise unspectacular career, or if the losing has gotten to him, and he would look rejuvenated on a better team.
However, since returning from an injury on July 8th, he’s been on fire, with an OPS of .982 in eleven games. Is he trying to showcase himself for a potential trade?
Look out now, check out what Luis Robert has done in the month of July since returning from injury. He’s hit in 7 out of 8 games & reached base in all 8. Sure would be nice to have in RF in GABP. You don’t have to worry about his defense. pic.twitter.com/b9pOjySFtq
— Lewis, William… William (@WillLewis_1976) July 21, 2025
The Phillies are one of the teams rumored to be interested in him. As long as the price isn’t too high, it’s easy to see the appeal: A 27-year-old with 30-30 potential who can play a strong centerfield. And if he doesn’t ever rediscover his 2023 form? Well, what’s another disappointing outfielder?
X-Men character of the series
Adam-X
The White Sox have been pretty awful on the field for a while now, but there’s no doubt that their uniforms remain looking great. And speaking of ‘90s designs that look cool, without much substance underneath, there’s Adam-X.
Adam-X, sometimes referred to as X-Treme is the most ‘90s comic book character ever. He’s got an X in his name, he’s got braids in his hair, he’s got poorly defined powers that change depending on plot convenience! He’s also been retroactively made into a member of the Summers family.
My good sir, Adam-X The X-Treme would like a word with you. https://t.co/QARNzCllfR pic.twitter.com/XZHCMrfQpp
— Roosterfish_ ☀️ (@Roosterfish_) May 28, 2025
Despite how awesomely extreme he was, nobody has ever really liked the character.
Additional thought about the series
I’m not sure if there are “trap” series in baseball, but this could certainly be one. The Phillies are coming off three games against the Yankees and have a series against the first place Tigers next. It is easy to see them potentially overlooking the White Sox.
That said, this is one of the weaker lineups the Phillies will face, and with the White Sox in definite seller mode, it could get even weaker before the series ends. There’s no reason the Phillies’ pitching staff shouldn’t dominate, even given one game will be started by Taijuan Walker. (Would anyone be shocked if coming off a good start in Yankee Stadium, Walker struggles against the White Sox?)
As for the Phillies’ offense, they mostly looked good against the Yankees, and it would be nice if that continued. But as bad as the Sox have been, the starters they will throw at the Phillies aren’t awful. Davis Martin, Jonathan Cannon, and Adrian Houser have all ranged from decent to good this season. It’s possible the Phillies’ lineup won’t have the level of success you might expect when playing a team 30 games under .500.