An increasingly soggy infield couldn’t slow down White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr.
Robert has been jockeying for the major-league lead in stolen bases and added two to his tally Sunday, with his second being the deciding factor in the Sox’ rain-shortened, 5-4 comeback victory against the Astros.
After driving in the tying run with a two-out single in the sixth inning, Robert took off for second base as rain fell on Rate Field. His 15th steal of season put him in scoring position ahead of Edgar Quero’s single, which brought him home to give the Sox a lead that held up when rain wiped out the rest of the game an inning later.
‘‘It’s been a real weapon, obviously,’’ manager Will Venable said after the game. ‘‘For him to steal all the bases he has without really getting going offensively — and obviously the last couple of days have been a lot better from him — it’s a real weapon for us.’’
It was a solid offensive day for Robert, who went 2-for-3 and slowly is emerging from a season-opening slump that still has his batting average at .195.
If the Sox can get Robert consistently doing what he has been doing for the last nine games — 11-for-33 with three home runs, nine RBI, nine runs scored, eight stolen bases and seven walks — trade speculation involving the 2023 Silver Slugger winner might return ahead of the deadline, potentially giving general manager Chris Getz an opportunity to add more talent to his long-term rebuilding project.
‘‘Sometimes we can get in his way; he’s such a good athlete,’’ Sox hitting coach Marcus Thames said of Robert before the game. ‘‘And sometimes you say, ‘Hey, don’t chase, don’t swing at this, don’t swing at that,’ and you become non-athletic. And he’s one of the most athletic guys in this league.
‘‘Now we’re just telling him to just have fun. ‘Go out and have fun and be yourself.’ And he’ll come back to be that guy that we think he can be.’’
Speaking from experience
Thames said he texted with shortstop prospect Colson Montgomery, who recently was sent away from Triple-A Charlotte to try to get right in Arizona after a miserable start to his season.
Thames said he shared some wisdom gained from his days as a struggling prospect 2½ decades ago.
‘‘I kind of told him I believe in him,’’ Thames said. ‘‘I see some things that he can do that I know can work up here. I just gave him a story about myself in 1999, as a prospect with the Yankees. I was in Double-A, I got sent to the complex, the same exact thing.
‘‘It sucked. It didn’t feel good. You felt kind of dejected. But at the end of the day, man, you still have some spikes on, you’ve still got a chance to go play. And you know people are behind you when they’re doing that for you. He’s got an organization, a whole organization, that’s behind him.’’
It eventually worked out for Thames. Though he spent three years at the Double-A level, he made his debut with the Yankees in 2002 and played in 10 major-league seasons before starting his post-playing career as a hitting coach.
Roster moves and an early exit
With infielder Josh Rojas coming off the injured list, infielder Bobby Dalbec was designated for assignment.
The Sox also shuffled their bullpen. Left-hander Fraser Ellard went on the 15-day IL with a strained left lat, and right-hander Penn Murfee was sent to Charlotte. Left-hander Tyler Gilbert and right-hander Caleb Freeman were called up from Charlotte to join the relief corps.
Meanwhile, left fielder Andrew Benintendi departed the game early with tightness in his left calf. He was described as day-to-day.