Chicago White Sox heart fielder Luis Robert Jr. spoke to Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena and Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis García.
Arozarena and García, each from Cuba, had signed up for the Home Run Derby. And they wished their countryman Robert to hitch.
“We all said, ‘Let’s do it,’” Robert stated by means of an interpreter Wednesday.
Major League Baseball introduced Robert’s participation in Monday’s occasion at T-Mobile Park in Seattle — a day earlier than Robert’s first All-Star Game.
“It’s a good experience,” Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol stated earlier than Wednesday’s sport towards the Toronto Blue Jays. “I remember (Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez) doing it and he was pretty pumped about it and he had a really good time.”
Robert, who’s second within the American League with 25 house runs, is the highest seed within the eight-player bracket. He’ll face Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman within the first spherical.
Robert plans on practising the subsequent couple of days.
“We’ll see how it goes,” he stated.
Robert is the primary Sox participant within the derby since Todd Frazier in 2016. He will probably be joined by Arozarena, García, Rutschman, New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts. Alonso is a two-time winner of the occasion.
“It definitely is an honor to represent Cuba, my country,” Robert stated. “I really feel pleased with it. We left our nation with a whole lot of sacrifices making an attempt to search for a greater future. We had been in a position to get that.
“Now being on this stage, being able to represent our country, it’s something that makes you feel happy and just makes you proud and you carry your country wherever you go.”
He laughed when requested about any earlier derby expertise.
“Yes, in Cuba,” Robert stated. “I was talking about that with Adolis a few minutes ago. We said at least we have to break the record that we set in Cuba because we didn’t hit any homers in that competition.”
Robert and Grifol don’t have any issues in regards to the occasion affecting his swing.
“I won’t try to pull every single ball because that can create some issues,” Robert stated. “I’m just going to go out there and have fun. Hopefully I can do a good job and maybe win. But my main goal is to go out and have fun.”
Grifol stated Robert’s “personality is just be who he is, stay calm, take the same swing.”
“You very rarely see him overswing in a game, no matter the counts,” Grifol stated. “I used to be really speaking about that yesterday with a few of our hitting guys. It doesn’t matter whether or not he’s 0-2 or 3-0, it’s virtually the identical swing, the identical effort stage.
“So I am anticipating that doesn’t change. He might be a little pumped up about it, but I don’t think his swing’s going to change. I’m not too concerned about it, but he’s a big part of this team. We need him to come back healthy and ready to go for the second half.”
Named to his first All-Star staff Sunday, Robert now has one thing else to anticipate.
“I’m pretty sure I’m going to feel very happy during those two days,” Robert stated. “It’s going to be very special for me.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com