Chicago White Sox’s Luis Robert Jr. displaying all-around game

The Minnesota Twins had a runner on first with two outs in the third inning Sunday against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field.

Trevor Larnach hit a sinking liner to center field. It looked like the ball would drop in for a single. But Luis Robert Jr. raced forward, dove and made a sensational catch to end the inning.

The Twins tested Robert again in the fifth. Austin Martin drilled what appeared to be a sure double to left-center. Robert dove and made another tremendous grab.

“Every outfielder is different,” Robert said through an interpreter Sunday of his approach to executing diving catches. “I’m the kind that I start slow and develop speed as I go. There are others who are different.

“To me, it’s just trying to track the ball and get to the ball whatever it takes.”

Robert continued putting on a show defensively in the ninth. He didn’t have to leave his feet, but he made the adjustments while running back to track down a hard-hit ball by Edouard Julien for the second out in the ninth inning.

“It seemed like he was on a mission to not let anything fall,” manager Will Venable said after the 8-0 victory. “We’ve seen him make good plays. To see three or four that he made (Sunday), in some big spots, was awesome.

“He’s been getting better jumps out there, which is something that he’s been working on. And obviously when the ball’s in the air, his athleticism gives him a chance to cover a lot of ground.”

Robert also made contributions at the plate, going 1-for-4 with a run. He entered Monday’s game against the Kansas City Royals at Rate Field with a seven-game hitting streak. He’s 9-for-29 (.310) with two home runs and six RBIs during the stretch.

“He’s still Luis Robert, you know,” starting pitcher Davis Martin said on Saturday. “He’s still the best player I’ve ever played with. It’s fun to see him loosen up and really be the focal point on this team. And his presence in the box, in the outfield, every time that I get done with a warmup inning and I turn around and see Luis in center, I’m like ‘Hit it wherever you want, I know he’s going to go grab it.’

“So it’s just the confidence that he brings, not only in the box, but as a defender for our pitchers.”

After a slow start to the season, Robert has had a productive second half. He has a .312/.367/.477 slash line with five home runs, 18 RBIs and 24 runs in 29 games since the All-Star break.

“For me, I think just (minimizing) the leg kick at the plate is what, visually, you see,” Venable said of the second-half success before Monday’s game. “I think it’s just put him in a really good spot to have more consistent at-bats, see the ball better, make better swing decisions. And when he does let the bat go, he’s hitting the ball hard.

“And for me, I think maybe the thing that’s stuck out the most is just how extremely hard he runs every single day. He’s just a guy that wants to be out there. When I give him days off, he fights me on it. He wants to be out there competing with these guys. So with his athletic ability and with his desire to be out there and playing hard, he’s just put himself in a really good spot to be productive.”

Robert’s approach inspires teammates.