Luis Robert Jr. leaves game with left hip flexor injury

KANSAS CITY, Mo. --White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr.left Friday's game against the Royals with a left hip flexor injury.

Robert pulled up at second base after a one-out double in the ninth inning of the White Sox's 2-1 loss to the Royals. In obvious pain, he was assisted by Chicago trainers before leaving the field under his own power.

As one of the few White Sox hitters enjoying success this season, Robert is hitting .214 with two home runs and a team-leading four RBIs. The team has dropped six of seven to start the season, scoring 10 total runs in six losses.

"It's unfortunate to have one of the best players in the game go down like that," White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. "It's hard to replace a guy like that. You don't replace a guy like that."

Robert suffered a similar injury in 2021, missing 85 games and more than three months of the season. He hit 38 home runs with 80 RBIs in 2023, earning his first All-Star berth.