Luis Robert Jr. is focusing on the present as trade rumors persist

White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. is no stranger to trade rumors. For the better part of the past month, he's heard his name discussed in rumors about where he will play after the July 30 trade deadline.

The star center fielder has said that he wants to remain with the Sox because the team gave him his first opportunity. He was a part of the organization when it won the division and played in the playoffs. He wants to be part of the team that restores the Sox to those heights.

"I know there is a chance," Robert said through an interpreter. "Not just me, but the players; we know there is always a chance to be traded. That's something that we can't control."

Robert had a hit and two steals in Saturday's 6-2 loss against the Pirates. He's shown glimpses of the player who made the All-Star team this year, but consistency and injuries have derailed him this season.

Given the Sox's current state, Robert said he doesn't know if the team has the building blocks in place to lift it back into playoff contention. He also hasn't talked to general manager Chris Getz about his future, but he's trying to remain in the present as uncertainty continues to loom around him until the deadline passes or a deal is made.

"I’m here," Robert said. "My mind is here and until something changes, I’m here."

'Finish strong'

With one game left before the All-Star break, players and coaches are looking forward to the brief reprieve. It's been a trying season for the Sox, who have dealt with injuries, defensive miscues and the most losses before an All-Star break in MLB history, breaking a tie with the 2018 Baltimore Orioles and the 1979 Oakland Athletics.

“I think the break is good for everybody," manager Pedro Grifol said. "The break is good for everybody to reset and come back. We’ve got to finish strong. We’ve got to find ways to finish this season in a manner that could set you up for next year.”

The Sox have built up the farm system so that they could have multiple players on the precipice of the majors. Ideally, the Sox will use the second half of this season to give their prospects a taste of the majors. Development is the priority after the All-Star break, it's just a matter of when they start promoting prospects from the minors.

Grifol said it's possible the team could promote prospects before Sept. 1 — when rosters expand to 28 players — to accumulate more data on prospects against more formidable competition.Given the chasm that exists between the majors and minors, the team benefits more if the prospects learn as part of the big-league team.

"The best of the best are getting up here fast, and they’re learning here," Grifol said. "There’s some guys that take a little longer, which is why you have the minor leagues. But there are a lot of young players in this league learning here at the major-league level. It’s making the gap between the major leagues and the minor leagues wider."

Futures Game

• Left-hander prospect Noah Schultz and shortstop prospect Colson Montgomery played in Saturday's All-Star Futures Game.