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Luis Robert goes on the COVID injured list, and the center fielder might miss the entire Chicago White Sox homestand

Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert could be out for the entire five-game homestand after being placed on the COVID-19-related injured list Tuesday.“Unfortunately, he is suffering from mild COVID symptoms,” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “The good news is he is vaccinated, so hopefully his experience is relatively mild throughout and we have him back at some point, very possibly next week.Advertisement“Certainly he’s not going to play in the Boston series (that started Tuesday) and very likely not going to play against the Cubs this weekend.”Prior to tonight’s series opener vs. Boston, the Chicago White Sox placed outfielder Luis Robert on the COVID-19 related injured list and recalled infielder Jake Burger from Class AAA Charlotte.— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 24, 2022

Robert is slashing .285/.319/.438 with three doubles, six home runs, 17 RBIs, six stolen bases and 21 runs in 33 games. He leads the Sox in homers and is second in RBIs, runs, stolen bases and total bases (60).Advertisement“He’s so much fun to watch,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “Really hope for us and for our fans that it’s the quick one and we get him back in five or six days.”Adam Engel started in center field Tuesday. AJ Pollock and Leury García are also options.In Tuesday’s corresponding move, the Sox recalled third baseman Jake Burger from Triple-A Charlotte. Burger has a .239 batting average with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs in 21 games with the Sox in 2022.

Sports

Tim Anderson is ready to move on from Josh Donaldson’s attempt to provoke him: ‘I’m not looking for friendship’

Tim Anderson heard the boos and chants of “Jackie” from the crowd Sunday night at Yankee Stadium.“That didn’t do nothing but motivate me a little bit more,” the Chicago White Sox shortstop said before Tuesday’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.AdvertisementAnderson silenced the crowd in the eighth inning, hitting a three-run homer in a 5-0 victory against the New York Yankees in Game 2 of a doubleheader.“It was pretty dope, you know?” Anderson said. “For me to shut them up, I think you guys saw the reaction. And it was a great moment for sure.”AdvertisementThe moment came a day after a bench-clearing incident involving the teams stemming from comments Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson made to Anderson. Donaldson admitted he called Anderson “Jackie” early in Saturday’s game, which led to a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for what Major League Baseball called “inappropriate comments.”“It’s out of my control, so I guess I’m cool with whatever,” Anderson said when asked about Donaldson’s suspension.Donaldson is appealing the punishment.[ [Don’t miss] Column: MLB’s ruling on the Josh Donaldson-Tim Anderson incident could have an effect on what’s acceptable trash talk ]He told New York reporters Saturday that the “Jackie” remark was a joke going back to a 2019 Sports Illustrated story in which Anderson said he felt like “today’s Jackie Robinson” in terms of trying to make the game more fun. Donaldson also said he made the same reference as a member of the Atlanta Braves when they played the Sox on Aug. 30-Sept. 1 of that season.“He did say that,” Anderson said. “I told him that, ‘We don’t ever have to talk again. And I won’t speak to you, you won’t speak to me if that’s how you’re going to refer to me.’ And I know he knew exactly what he was doing. Because I already told him.“He goes to Minnesota, two years, doesn’t say nothing to me because I already addressed it. And we get into it (May 13 at Guaranteed Rate Field) with me sliding back (into third base), so I push him off me. And he felt the need to say it again, but you know, he’s trying to provoke me. And he knew what he was doing.”José Abreu holds back White Sox teammate Tim Anderson during a benches-clearing dispute with the Yankees on May 21, 2022, in New York. (Sarah Stier / Getty Images)Anderson said the Yankees have not reached out.“I can definitely move on,” he said. “But I’m not looking for friendship, no relationship from that behalf. But I’m going to continue to keep playing hard and keep being a great teammate and keep being the best version of myself I can be.”AdvertisementAnderson led the American League with a .359 average entering Tuesday.“If you’re looking for the latest example of how special he is, just look at (Sunday),” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “If that’s the first time you’ve been able to see how special he is, then you haven’t been paying attention.[ [Don’t miss] Column: A teachable moment — and the true meaning of Jackie Robinson’s legacy to Black baseball players ]“He is a credit to Major League Baseball. He’s exactly what our fans need to see as far as what a person he is and his dedication to winning. I was around here long enough to slightly get to know Michael Jordan — he’s got that Michael Jordan desire for his team to compete and play for a championship.“(Former manager) Gene Mauch once said it, when your best players have that kind of motivation, man, it’s a huge advantage. This guy is really special at everything he does.”Anderson appreciated the support from the White Sox organization.“It’s been nothing but love from my teammates, from the coaching staff, from the organization,” he said. “I can say that things got handled the right way and I feel the support, I feel the love and I appreciate that for sure.Advertisement“Hopefully we can keep the good energy going and try to stay positive and be great teammates and most importantly have fun.”Tim Anderso rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Yankees on May 22, 2022, in New York. (Sarah Stier / Getty Images)General manager Rick Hahn said he was “proud of the way that teammates coalesced around TA this weekend, the support that was shown, both on the field and in the clubhouse.” “Everyone inside of that clubhouse knew how he felt, and he knew everyone had his back,” Hahn said. “And then he went out on the biggest stage we had that weekend and showed the world precisely who he is, which I thought was awesome.”[ [Don’t miss] ‘Utter bull(bleep)’: White Sox closer Liam Hendriks rejects Josh Donaldson’s explanation for his ‘Jackie’ comment ]Anderson also heard positive words from people around the game. That list includes Yankees star Aaron Judge, who on Monday told New York reporters, including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, “Anderson’s one of the best shortstops in the game and he’s a big part of MLB, what’s going on here and how we can grow the game.”“All the love and all the support,” Anderson said. “I can’t name it one by one, but I’ve seen it and I definitely appreciate it.”

Sports

More Pilates, less beer: How Teven Jenkins is working to earn the trust of his new Chicago Bears coaches

Teven Jenkins was midway through a post-practice interview Tuesday at Halas Hall when he felt the need to give a heartfelt plug for one of the catalysts of his 2022 offseason.“I’ve got to name-drop my Pilates place,” he said. “Superior Pilates in Lake Forest. If you want a good workout, hit up Chris.”AdvertisementIndeed, Jenkins’ added attention to strengthening his core has helped him become sturdier and feel more confident as he heads into his second season with the Chicago Bears. Summer back surgery interrupted Jenkins’ rookie season before it got going and ultimately limited him to 161 offensive snaps over the final five games.But that health setback, Jenkins insisted, is an afterthought. And the increased Pilates work, while often grueling, has become a big part of his self-improvement.Advertisement“You ever do a Pilates workout?” Jenkins said. “It is (torture). Oh, my god. Ooh. But it’s good for you. So I’m happy to do it.”As the Bears continue organized team activities during their transition to a new coaching staff and offensive system, Jenkins is in the mindset of doing whatever is best for him or whatever can help him help the team most.“Get in where you fit in,” he said. “I’m trying to elevate everything about myself, mentally and physically.”General manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus made it clear upon their arrival that they needed the offensive line to transform to fit the new system, calling for their linemen to be sleeker and more agile.Jenkins’ first thought? Happy to do it. He dropped close to 20 pounds and decreased his body fat percentage, he says, from 33% to 24% with targeted strength and conditioning work and diet modifications. The latter prompted Jenkins to remove carbs from dinner most nights, eliminating things such as rice and mac and cheese, and to reduce his alcohol intake.“I’m trying to get more cleansed out, I guess,” he said. “That does help with your body fat. Instead of drinking all that beer (where) all that fat just sits on you, now you burn it off.”Chicago Bears offensive lineman Teven Jenkins practices, May 24, 2022, during OTAs at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Few players on the roster represent the challenges that come with a regime change more than Jenkins, whom former general manager Ryan Pace traded up to select early in the second round of the 2021 draft. Pace figured Jenkins would anchor the Bears’ left tackle position for years to come in coach Matt Nagy’s offense while developing under former line coach Juan Castillo.Now Jenkins is working to prove himself to Poles, Eberflus and new line coach Chris Morgan while attempting to show he’ll be a good fit in offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s system. None of those new Bears leaders has any real attachment to Jenkins, so they’re trying to see whether he fits into their long-term plans or whether he’ll become just another expendable item from the previous tenants to lug out to the curb.AdvertisementFor now, that has pushed Jenkins back to the right side of the line — which may be a good thing. He played the majority of his college career at Oklahoma State at right tackle before the Bears tried to mold him into a left tackle last season.Jenkins couldn’t recall exactly when the new staff chose to flip him back to the right while asking fellow second-year tackle Larry Borom to give the left side a try. But he knows the conversation was quick, to the point and came with little resistance. Playing on the right side may just be the optimal fit.“It is comfortable,” Jenkins said. “It’s nice. And I do look forward to keep on getting reps at right tackle. … It’s more about where can I be the best for the team. And what can I do and what certain position (for me) is going to elevate the whole offense.”Jenkins admits his rookie season tested his patience. It wasn’t just that a July back injury kept him from starting training camp and ultimately led to surgery Aug. 18. It’s that the setback came after Jenkins’ final college season ended in November 2020, also cut short by a separate back injury.Therefore, Jenkins had plenty of rust and notable timing issues when he returned from injured reserve and was added to the active roster in December. Instead of having training camp and the preseason as a friendly runway into his NFL career, Jenkins’ first extended action on the offensive line came in Week 14 against the Green Bay Packers on “Sunday Night Football.”As if the urgency to prove himself wasn’t already heightened, suddenly Jenkins had to hit the ground running on a huge stage with a bit of an internal rush to prove he belonged.AdvertisementThat test at Lambeau Field was Jenkins’ first of five games on offense, all of which included expected bumpy patches. He incurred seven penalties, including three false starts and a costly personal foul against the Minnesota Vikings when he rushed to protest a questionable hit on quarterback Justin Fields and threw a jab at defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson.Jenkins was also sloppy on the left side at times and absorbed a few difficult lessons.“One thing I did learn is you’re not going to win 100% of the snaps,” he said. “It’s about how consistent you can be. That’s how good you can be. So that’s what you’re trying to strive for all through practices and all these reps you’re getting. It’s about how consistently good can you be.”Jenkins will work to improve that consistency, solidify himself as a starter and acclimate to Getsy’s system, which is markedly different than the one Nagy ran.“It’s a lot faster-paced, a lot more up-tempo,” Jenkins said. “You’re getting around, setting edges, all that stuff.”With Fields expected to be on the move more in 2022, Jenkins will have to show he is athletic and quick enough to handle his new assignments. As he noted Tuesday, until the offensive line is in full pads in training camp, it will be difficult to tell whether the weight he lost has diminished his strength.AdvertisementJenkins also stressed he must do everything he can to earn the trust of Poles, Eberflus and Getsy. That, he said, will require him to prove he fits in the new scheme while also showing he can play hard while reducing his mental mistakes.“I’m working for that trust,” Jenkins said. “That’s ultimately what I want to have. Getting more of that trust that they have into me will make me feel more comfortable.”