The Chicago White Sox have not made the MLB Playoffs since 2021 and are attempting to rebuild on the fly with young players like Eloy Jimenez. The powerful White Sox designated hitter got a key injury update from Manager Pedro Grifol on Friday, one that bodes well for Jimenez rounding back into form with Chicago sometime this season.
The news came amid an update on the Yankees potentially seeking out a White Sox player at the trade deadline. Another White Sox player, an outfielder, has reportedly been targeted by the Kansas City Royals,
The return of Jimenez was mentioned by Grifol and it's a development that has big implications for the ChiSox going forward.
Grifol Gives Update on Jimenez
The information came via Grifol before Saturday's matchup with the Detroit Tigers. He said that Jimenez could return on Monday for the series home opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jimenez has been out since May 21 due to a left hamstring strain. He has been ramping up preparations with the Arizona Complex League White Sox recently.
“He's really good, Grifol said. “His timing is good. He's been up to 90 percent running…He's passed the test, so we can use his bat.”
Will Jimenez Be Traded?
A report from baseball scribe Bob Nightengale of USA Today stated that Jimenez is one of five White Sox players who could be moved at MLB's July 30 trade deadline. The MLB trade deadline is fast approaching which could explain why Grifol made sure an update was released on his DH's current status.
Jimenez would likely become an asset for whichever team ends up adding him, based on the considerable amount of pop he currently has in his bat even as he recovers from injury. The Dominican Republic born DH had double digit home runs his first five years in MLB, a fact that is not lost on the many teams expected to vie for his services in the next week.
The prediction here is that the White Sox hang onto Jimenez in hopes of putting together a second half rally toward respectability. The White Sox are almost certainly going to miss the playoffs this season, but Jimenez still has plenty of potential and appears to be a good fit for a franchise used to keeping power hitters in its lineup.
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