During the spring of 2020, Eloy Jiménez repeated his excessive reward for Chicago White Sox teammate Luis Robert Jr., saying the middle fielder was “going to be the next Mike Trout.”
Robert felt honored when he heard the comparability, however mentioned by an interpreter Monday the Los Angeles Angels celebrity was, “on a different level.”
“If I’m able to keep playing for a very long time and sustain the level of success that I’m having now, then maybe at some point we can talk about that comparison,” Robert mentioned. “But in the meantime, I just have to keep working hard.”
Robert and Trout patrolled heart discipline for his or her respective groups at Angel Stadium because the Sox and Angels started a four-game sequence.
“It’s always good to see and follow players like Mike Trout,” Robert mentioned. “Kind of players that are one in a generation. When we are on the field, we are competing. It’s always good to compete against one of the best in the game.”
Robert obtained an honor earlier than the sport, incomes American League Player of the Week honors for the primary time in his profession.
“It’s something that makes me really happy,” Robert mentioned of the popularity. “It’s just the result of all the work I’ve put in. I’m very happy for it and it’s something that motivates me to keep working hard.”
He slashed .444/.524/1.111 (8-for-18) with 4 house runs, 5 RBIs and 6 runs in six video games final week. Robert homered twice in Sunday’s 4-1 victory in opposition to the Boston Red Sox and hit a game-tying solo house run in Saturday’s 5-4 win.
He was the primary Sox place participant to earn the award since José Abreu from May 24-30, 2021, and the primary Sox outfielder to obtain the distinction since Jiménez from Sept. 9-15, 2019.
“He deserves it, he’s earned it,” supervisor Pedro Grifol mentioned earlier than Monday’s recreation. “It’s not so much the production, but it’s the work he put in, the buy-in that he’s got. Really proud of him. He’s put in really good work.”
Robert continued his tear Monday, hitting a solo house run — his twenty second of the season — within the first inning. He had two of the crew’s three hits within the 2-1 loss.
Through Monday, Robert ranks second within the AL in homers and extra-base hits (42), third in slugging proportion (.569), whole bases (165), defensive runs saved (9), fourth in OPS (.897), tied for fourth in runs (52) and tied for eighth in doubles (20).
“The main key is being able to play every day,” Robert mentioned. “I’ve been healthy. And that’s what you want. I have some ups and downs, but I think I’ve been consistent in my work and my routine. That’s probably the only thing you can control.”
He’s performed in all however three of the crew’s 79 video games this season.
“Basically if you are not playing every day, you can’t show who you really are as a player,” Robert mentioned. “This year, to me, it has been the biggest key (that) I’ve been healthy.”
Robert is considered one of 5 gamers in Sox historical past (eight occasions) with 20-plus doubles and homers earlier than the All-Star Break, becoming a member of Frank Thomas (1993-94, 2003), Abreu (2014, ‘19), Jermaine Dye (2008) and Magglio Ordóñez (2000).
“I think every ballplayer wants to be the best that he can be, and that’s my case every time that I go out and every time that I’m on the field,” Robert mentioned.
His play led Grifol to say after Sunday’s recreation, “There’s no doubt in my mind this guy’s an All-Star. No doubt. I don’t know who needs to hear it, but this guy’s an All-Star.”
Robert mentioned Grifol’s phrases “means a lot.”
“That’s the most important, for it to come from the manager,” Robert mentioned. “I appreciate that.”
Robert mentioned of the opportunity of an All-Star choice, “It could be one thing very particular as a result of I believe I’ve been doing a fairly good job up up to now. If I’m not there, properly, it wouldn’t matter. I’ll be doing no matter I’ve been doing since Day 1.
“It’s not something I can control.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com