NEW YORK (AP) — Luis Robert Jr. is making quite a first impression at Citi Field.
On a Mets team loaded with newcomers, the All-Star center fielder from Cuba is off to the fastest start among them.
Robert launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning Saturday, rallying New York to over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Acquired from the Chicago White Sox in a January trade, the 28-year-old Robert also had two RBI singles Thursday and made a nice play on defense to help the Mets
“These last two games have really been special,” Robert said through a translator.
With the Mets trailing 2-1 in the 11th, cleanup batter Jorge Polanco drew a leadoff walk — his fifth free pass in two games with the club. With automatic runner Bo Bichette also aboard at second, Robert from rookie left-hander Hunter Barco over the left-center fence on a windy, 42-degree day.
“I was looking for a fastball there. I was trying to make good contact just to at least tie the game, and it turned out to be a home run,” Robert said. “I knew that I hit it well. I just didn’t know if it was gone just because it’s a new stadium, it being cold, and I couldn’t get like the proper feeling from it. But I knew that I had hit the ball hard.”
His was the second walk-off shot of his career. The other one came during his rookie season with the White Sox against Kansas City on Aug. 30, 2020.
“He’s talented. He’s gifted. Even that last one there, I thought the pitcher executed down and away and he goes and gets it,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
“With the conditions today, with the way the wind was blowing, especially from left field, to just be able to leave the yard like that in that situation, it goes to show you that this guy’s special.”
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Robert has always been dripping with power, speed and eye-catching raw talent. But injuries have hampered him and he only really put everything together for a full season in 2023, when he had 38 homers, 80 RBIs, 20 steals and an .857 OPS in 145 games for the White Sox.
He was selected to the All-Star Game and won a Silver Slugger award to go with his 2020 Gold Glove and runner-up finish in AL Rookie of the Year voting that year.
Largely because of his tendency to chase pitches out of the strike zone, Robert entered Saturday with a career on-base percentage of just .313. But he worked a 10-pitch walk in his first Mets plate appearance Thursday against reigning NL Cy Young Award winner and drew another free pass Saturday.
“We’ve been working on that a lot,” Robert said. “I think the one thing that great players have is knowing how to select the proper pitches to swing at. I think for me to be able to go back to being the player that I was and that I know that I’m capable of being, I think that’s going to be a big part of my game.”
Needless to say, the Mets see great signs in the early returns from their new center fielder.
“Pretty encouraging,” Mendoza said. “And even the one before that at-bat, he took some breaking balls there to get ahead in counts. Put himself in position to get good pitches to hit and he continues to do that.”
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