This one landed like a curveball nobody saw coming. Just months after Justin Ishbia seemed like a lock to buy the Minnesota Twins, he has done a complete turn, setting his sights on the Chicago White Sox instead!

The billionaire investor, who also co-owns the Phoenix Suns and Mercury with his brother Mat, just signed a long-term investment deal with Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf. This deal effectively positions Ishbia to take over the franchise in the future. As per the press release, Justin won’t be alone. “In addition to Justin Ishbia, his brother Mat Ishbia, and father Jeff Ishbia will also be significant investors. There is no assurance that any such future transaction will occur, and in no event will such a transaction take place before 2029.”

So here is the deal: Reinsdorf, who turns 89 years old, will maintain complete control of the team at least through 2029. Between 2029 and 2033, he will have the option to sell his controlling stake to Ishbia. But what if he doesn’t? If he doesn’t, then after the 2034 season, the ball will be in Isbias’ court anyway, and he can choose to buy the team.

In a press release, Reinsdorf said, “Having the incredible opportunity to own the Chicago White Sox and be part of Major League Baseball for nearly 50 years has been a life-changing experience. I have always expressed my intent to operate the White Sox as long as I am able and remain committed to returning this franchise to the level of on-field success we all expect and desire.” Sure, for now, it seems it’s not a big change, but this really was done with a huge plan.

See what makes it all juicier is that Ishbia was the frontrunner to buy the Minnesota Twins. The deal was looking promising, and in a surprise move, he walked. Instead, he chose to double down on a small White Sox stake that he had picked back in 2021. Well, screams -masterplan doesn’t it? But a snub like this doesn’t go unnoticed in the MLB world.

Now it is surprising in many other ways, like, for example, Reinsdorf has said for the longest time that he isn’t interested in selling the team. Hence, this setup has caught plenty of people and fans off guard. But with the entire stadium drama, relocation whispers, and a franchise desperate for a reset, this could be the start of something new, big, and monumental, too.

Chicago White Sox’ Luis Robert Jr. hit by Ricochet in a cage!

In other news, Luis Robert Jr. was missing from the Chicago White Sox lineup yet again on Thursday. This is for the third straight game, and finally, there are answers. Manager Will Venable has already said Robert won’t be starting Tuesday and Wednesday against the Tigers but will be available off the bench.

However, he never really made it into either of the games. This is because he was busy making some tweaks in the batting cage, and that’s when things took a weird turn. Venable revealed before Thursday’s game, “He was in the cage [Wednesday] and was hitting, and a ball actually ricocheted and hit him in the head. So, just giving him, just as a precaution, just one extra day. He’ll be fine, back in there tomorrow.”

Luckily, though, it was nothing serious. The medical staff checked him out, and there was no concussion, just a solid knock. But with how this season has been going for him, this just adds more to his frustration. Robert is probably having the roughest year of his MLB career, slashing just .177/.266/.286 with five homers, 21 RBIs, and 68 strikeouts. Hence, there is an effort to reset, and Venable said that his time off hasn’t been idle. They have challenged Robert to try different approaches, getting back to being aggressive and athletic, and more. So right now, for fans, maybe it’s a fingers-crossed moment. Now he is expected to join the lineup on Friday. So, fans will be hoping for a fresh mindset.

Do you think he can help turn his season around? Let us know.