KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. left Friday’s game against the Kansas City Royals with a left hip flexor injury.

Robert pulled up lame at second after a one-out double in the ninth inning of the White Sox 2-1 loss to the Royals. In obvious pain, he was assisted by Chicago trainers before leaving the field under his own power.

As one of the few White Sox hitters enjoying success this season, Robert is hitting .214 with two home runs and a team-leading four RBIs. The team has dropped six of seven to start the season, scoring 10 total runs in six losses.

“It’s unfortunate to have one of the best players in the game go down like that,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “It’s hard to replace a guy like that. You don’t replace a guy like that.”

Robert hit 38 home runs with 80 RBIs in 2023, earning his first All-Star berth. He suffered a similar injury in 2021, missing 85 games and more than three months of the season.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB