Chicago White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. hammered his 35th home run of the season in Wednesday’s win over the Baltimore Orioles, and although it added to his career-high number, it was historic in another way.
Robert, who prior to this season had hit 36 home runs in his entire career, hit the blast in the third inning of Wednesday’s 10-5 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards.
The outfielder now has 35 home runs and 70 RBI’s, but he also has a career-high 17 stolen bases, and that is what helped him into the club’s history books.
According to Stathead and NBC Sports Chicago’s Christopher Kamka, Robert is now the fourth player in White Sox history to hit 35 home runs and to steal at least 15 bases in the same season, and is just the second in the last 38 years.
Todd Frazier hit the milestone during the 2016 season when he hammered 40 home runs and stole 15 bases for the White Sox.
Prior to that, catcher Carlton Fisk had 37 homers and 17 steals in 1985, and Dick Allen had 37 home runs and 19 stolen bases in 1972.
MLB
Robert has already hit career highs in games played, runs scored, hits, home runs, RBI’s, walks and stolen bases this season.
He is slashing .271/.325/.561 for the White Sox, and has a WAR of 5.3, according to ESPN.
Speaking of WAR, Allen’s 1972 season will likely remain a notch about Robert’s in that particular area, as he posted a staggering 8.6 WAR for the Sox. He had 113 RBI’s that season, drew 99 walks, and had a mind-boggling OPS of 1.023.