Mets Announce New Luis Robert Decision Before Padres Series Finale

Luis Robert Jr. is out of the Mets’ starting lineup Wednesday against the Padres at Citi Field. A.J. Ewing is starting in center field instead, after Robert opened each of the first two games of the series there.

Robert’s day off appears to be a scheduled management day, not a new injury for the often-injured 29-year-old Cuban. Robert started Monday and Tuesday, homering in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to San Diego — his seventh of the season. The Mets have handled his workload cautiously since his July return from a lumbar spine disc herniation, so the break fits the plan rather than signaling another absence. Wednesday’s official Mets lineup lists Ewing in center field, with Robert active but unavailable in the starting nine.

Two Starts, Then a Breather

Robert had started two consecutive games before Wednesday, putting him in center on August 17 and August 18. He had played in 48 games for the Mets entering Wednesday, with 163 at-bats, seven home runs, 19 RBIs and a .215/.286/.362 slash line.

The most important aspect of Robert’s season hasn’t been his production, but his availability.

Robert was activated July 20 after missing nearly three months with the back injury. Mets manager Andy Green said at the time that the club expected to use him roughly two of every three games at the outset. New York activated Robert from the 60-day IL for a July 20 game in Milwaukee, his first Major League appearance since April 26.

That calendar gap covered about 84 days from his last game through his activation, although his official injured-list stint began April 30 and was retroactive to April 27. He initially went on the 10-day IL before a transfer to the 60-day list. The Mets have since mixed in rest days rather than allowing him to pile up long starting streaks.

So, is Robert injured again?

No indication points that way. This time. His run of two consecutive starts prior to Wednesday included a home run the night before.

What Another Robert Absence Would Mean

Robert was born in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, on Aug. 3, 1997. He signed with the White Sox after leaving Cuba, debuted on July 24, 2020, and quickly established the broad outline of his game, marked by defensive range in center field, power to all fields and speed that can change an inning. Robert’s MLB biography records his 2020 debut and his American League Gold Glove that same season.

His 2023 White Sox season remains his high point, playing in 145 games with 38 homers, 80 RBIs, 20 steals and an .857 OPS. But injuries have repeatedly set him back. A complete right hip-flexor tear cost him 85 games in 2021 and later issues included groin, wrist, hamstring, knee and hip trouble. Robert’s injury record includes several extended absences across his White Sox tenure.

Another significant setback, particularly involving his back, would leave the Mets with another hole in center and force more work onto Ewing, Carson Benge and the club’s rotating outfield options. It would also extend a familiar question around Robert. Not what he can do when he is on the field, but how often he can remain there.

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