White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. being evaluated after he was hit by a pitch

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. was being evaluated after he was hit by a pitch in his return to the lineup on Sunday after missing two games because of right adductor tightness.

Robert went 0 for 3 while serving as the team’s designated hitter in a 5-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs. He was hit on his right arm by a 101.1 mph fastball from Daniel Palencia with two out in the ninth inning.

“Yeah, he’s gonna be evaluated now,” first-year manager Will Venable said. “That one got him pretty good, so we’ll see where he’s at after that.”

Robert wasn’t in the team’s original lineup, but he talked his way into the game. He lined to left in the second, grounded out in the fifth and lined to second with two runners aboard in the seventh.

“Some good swings. I think physically, he’s still getting there,” Venable said. “But I thought there was good, competitive swings, competitive at-bats and nice to see him out there.”

With the rebuilding White Sox in last place in the AL Central, Robert could be on the move ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. After a miserable start to the season, the center fielder began the day with a nine-game hitting streak.

Robert, who turns 28 on Aug. 3, is batting .204 with 10 homers and 41 RBIs in 85 games. He also has a career-high 26 steals.

Robert felt the adductor injury when he stole second in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s 11-9 victory at Tampa Bay. The White Sox were off on Thursday, and Robert rested during the first two games of the series against the Cubs.

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