White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. made general manager Chris Getz’s job a little easier with a flashy night Monday at Rate Field, diving for a catch and smacking a two-run home run in a 6-2 victory against the Phillies three days before the trade deadline.
Robert first boosted his trade stock by robbing Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto of extra bases when he hit the turf to nab a 104 mph liner toward the right-field gap in the fourth inning.
He followed up in the bottom of the inning with a two-run homer into the right-field stands, his 11th round-tripper of the season and 99th of his career.
It was a familiarly uneven night for Robert, who finished 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, but he has rebounded from a tough first half with two homers and eight RBI as the Sox have gone 7-3 since the All-Star break.
The Sox were buoyed by starter Davis Martin, who struck out Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to open the game.
Martin ran into trouble in the third, with a pair of singles and a walk paving the way for a two-run hustle double by Harper, who sprinted out of the box on his grounder up the middle for the extra base.
Martin settled in to pitch 5⅔ innings, allowing six hits and three walks and striking out seven against one of the best offenses in the National League. He helped his own cause with a diving stop on a grounder and a dart to first to retire the side in the fifth.
‘‘I had mixed reviews of a lot of guys saying it was the most athletic thing they’ve ever seen and the most unathletic thing they’ve ever seen,’’ Martin joked afterward. ‘‘So I like to lean toward the most athletic play I’ve ever made.’’
Rookie Colson Montgomery struck in the third with his fourth career homer into the right-field stands. His 395-foot moonshot scored Lenyn Sosa, who had singled against Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez.
Sosa and Montgomery each added insurance with RBI singles in the eighth.
Robert was back in the outfield a day after taking a 101 mph fastball off the arm Sunday against the Cubs. It was just the latest bruise for the banged-up former All-Star after he missed two games with a sore adductor.
But it was a chance worth taking for manager Will Venable and Getz in the push-and-pull between preventing further injury to Robert and showcasing his talent to potential suitors — including the team in the visitors’ clubhouse this week — with the trade deadline looming Thursday.
‘‘A good amount of my friends have been sending me photos and text messages with rumors and all that stuff, but I try not to pay attention to that,’’ Robert said after the game.
Smith on the mend
Rookie All-Star Shane Smith threw a successful bullpen session in his recovery from the sprained ankle he suffered in a workout shortly after making his appearance in the Midsummer Classic.
Sox officials said Smith won’t need a rehab assignment and likely will be activated during the team’s West Coast road trip, which starts Friday against the Angels.
Smith, a Rule 5 Draft pick in December, is 3-7 with a 4.26 ERA. The ERA had been a sparkling 2.37 before a rocky five-start stretch to close the first half.