White Sox CF Luis Robert misses sixth straight game

There was hope that Luis Robert would be available Tuesday after he missed the weekend series in Minnesota with a pulled right groin, but he was sidelined again Thursday and missed the Royals series.

When Robert took batting practice and ran the bases in the morning, he was already written out of the lineup.

“The chances are improving that he can play [Friday], but we’ll wait to see what [trainer] James [Kruk] says,” manager Tony La Russa said.

Robert suffered the injury running out a ground ball in Cleveland last Thursday.

Second life

Andrew Vaughn is filling in for injured Eloy Jimenez in left field and in the No. 2 spot in the lineup for Robert. Vaughn doesn’t have Robert’s speed, a bonus near the top of the order, but he’s a tough out whose productivity makes sense in that spot.

“He’s going to hit somewhere important in the lineup because he’s taking great at-bats,” La Russa said.

“He’s got a good strike zone. He can start a rally, hit in the middle of one or finish. . . . He’s special.”

When asked what will happen when Robert returns, La Russa said, “I just hope we get him back tomorrow, and we’ll be better wherever he hits.”

Second base in flux

Opening Day second baseman Josh Harrison, still not 100% after hurting his shoulder making an acrobatic catch in Cleveland last Wednesday, didn’t start a second day after getting back in the lineup as the DH Tuesday. Harrison pinch-ran for Yasmani Grandal at first after Grandal’s leadoff single in the eighth and scored the tying run on AJ Pollock’s short sacrifice fly.

“He gave me the dirty look that he’s not playing today,” La Russa said. “But we follow that one thing: As soon as you say you’re ready, we give you one more day. So he’ll [start Friday].”

Vaughn played second base in a pinch in Kansas City last season, and Jake Burger has taken ground balls at second.

“I think when you’ve got guys missing like we have, it’s healthy for them and for us to be creative and build in that versatility,” La Russa said. “It worked last year. When push comes to shove, playing either one of those guys — Burger or bring Vaughn in — I would hesitate but wouldn’t prevent it.”

The White Sox are not considering moving Yoan Moncada back to second base, where he began his career with the team.

Moncada switched to third base in 2019 and has played his best defense on the corner.

This and that

Moncada, who suffered an oblique strain before the last game of spring training, went through drills and is off to Charlotte on Friday. He will play for the Triple-A Knights on Saturday in the first game of his rehab assignment.

† Grandal was at DH a second straight day after tweaking something in his leg running the bases Tuesday but is lined up to catch Lucas Giolito on Friday against the Angels. Reese McGuire has caught Michael Kopech in all four of Kopech’s starts, including Thursday.

† Right-hander Lance Lynn threw a bullpen session at Guaranteed Rate Field and is on track for a return in late May, La Russa said.

† Johnny Cueto pitched four scoreless innings of one-hit ball for Charlotte on Thursday. He struck out six and walked none.

† Len Kasper and A.J. Pierzynski will call the game Saturday on Fox Sports 1.