The White Sox announced that outfielder Eloy Jiménez has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 4, with a “low-grade” left hamstring strain. Infielder Jake Burger was recalled in a corresponding move. Jiménez is expected to miss about two to three weeks, per James Fegan of The Athletic.
Jiménez, 26, is one of baseball’s most potent sluggers when healthy. Last year, he hit .295/.358/.500 for a wRC+ of 144, indicating he was 44% better than the league average hitter. That latter number ranked him in the top 15 spots on the major league leaderboard, among hitters with at least 300 plate appearances.
Unfortunately, the “when healthy” qualifier is doing a lot of work in that previous paragraph. Jiménez also dealt with a hamstring strain last year, in his right leg, one that cost him over two months of the season. In 2021, a ruptured left pectoral tendon kept him out of action for more than three months. Due to those injuries and the 2020 season being shortened by the pandemic, he’s only played 199 games since the end of the 2019 season.
In this instance, it doesn’t sound as though Jiménez is facing a significant absence, though it’s yet another frustrating hurdle for a guy who has had a lot of them lately. It’s also a notable development for the club, as they are considered by many observers to have a strong top layer of talent but weak depth that could be exposed by injuries over the course of the season. That’s not to say that this injury alone is some kind of death knell for their season, but it’s possible this will be part of an ongoing area of concern in the months to come.
Jiménez is capable of playing the outfield but has been limited to the designated hitter role so far this year. This IL placement will open up that lineup slot for manager Pedro Grifol to rotate some different players through.
and so it begins
If everyone stays healthy this year…
pigs will fly
The article said‘Jimenez is capable of playing the OF’!!! What?
No he isn’t!! Even when he’s 100% he isn’t.
Moncada or Robert should be joining Eloy on the IL, any day now.
You are forgetting TA7 and Grandal! White Sox newcomer Andrew Benintendi who was signed to replace Eloy Jimenez in LF is hardly averse to the IL either.
Speaking of injury prone OF’s, I noticed that ChiSox bolter AJ Pollock had quite the game for the Mariners yesterday with 2 HR’s and 5 RBI’s for his new team.
Eloy’s latest injury still doesn’t diminish the fact that it was one helluva trade for the White Sox. Eloy and Dylan Cease (best pitcher in baseball?) for Jose Quintana (love Jose).
That’s true – wasn’t one of the Cubs more memorable trades.
Actually it does diminish the value of what the Sox got. If Eloy played year after year injury free, he’s of more value. The fact that he is injured so often as a young player diminishes his value.
Dylan Cease is that good!
@dogbone – They have had some real losers. Traded an all-time great in Lou Brock. Traded Dennis Eckersely and then he became one of the most dominant closers in baseball history.
And about 7,000 showed up to watch him pitch today.
But don’t forget how cheaply the Cubs got a few players from the Phillies – named Fergie Jenkins and Ryne Sandburg at different times. Things balance out.
Attendance today is 15,980.
He’s not even the best pitcher in that division.
Pdx, no it wasn’t, no even close. That number you found in the box is 15,980 tickets sold. That is not turnstile count. That is not actual people in the stadium. I was being generous with a 7,000 estimate.
I’m watching the 9th, and there might be 4,000 left for a game the Sox are going to win… 15K fans seems like an odd things to brag about though.
Cold day game in the middle of the week while school is ongoing. Wonder why attendance is down.
Stop it…. It was the warmest day of the year… 70 degrees. Had nothing to do with the weather or school.
St Louis had a day game that started an hour earlier. It was 60 degrees out and the stadium was packed.
Many schools are in spring break right now. There’s No excuse for pathetic attendance at the games.
Acquiring a young Sammy Sosa from the White Sox for soon to be washed up veteran George Bell was perhaps the biggest coup for the Cubs.
Buxton jr.
Buxton gets injured with spectacular play in the field.
Eloy looks like he grew up with an instructional tape from Marcell Ozuna on how to play defense. I mean, he injured his shoulder in 2021 attempting to rob a HR. We are all safer when Eloy watches his team defend.
Yea, trying to “Rob” a homer. That ball was so far over his head. He had no chance of making a play.
Boots is right, Eloy was playing around on that play. Was that game a spring training game as well? Similar to when he got injured rolling into the netting down the left field line.
Once you tear that hamstring, it’s always going to be an issue, especially for a guy his size that eats a dozen donuts a day.
Need to make this guy a full time DH just to try and keep him healthy and in the lineup daily.
So far he has been the full time dh. All this talk of him being in the mix for rf was and is a joke. His hamstring kept him out for a long time last season and apparently it still hasn’t healed. Too bad because with him, we finally had a productive clean-up man. Glad to see Burger back, though.
As the article states, the White Sox lack depth beyond their “strong top layer of talent”. That said, what little depth they do have is at the corner INF positions and especially at DH, positions that Jake Burger can help supplement in the wake of the Eloy Jimenez injury. Gavin Sheets should also get more PA’s in the coming weeks.
New season, new hamstring
WTF! He’s been a full time DH thus far in the regular season which clearly hasn’t kept him from the IL again.
That’s all he’s been doing so far
I thought the hamstrings and obliques were issues caused by Tony LaRussa & not doing proper jumping jacks & other calisthenics before each game. Maybe the White Sox as an org are anti-stretching.
Well done…
This had to have happened on Monday in the 7th. Eloy walked. On Vaughn’s double is when he injured himself going 1st to 3rd. I thought he was late/slow to 3rd, but didn’t think much of it at the time, but guessing that’s when it happened. He scored on Grandma’s dribbler to the right side without needing to push.
So, being a DH probably increases the odds that he’ll pull something. He’d stay loose going out to the field every inning. Now he’s sitting in the dugout for 20 minutes or more between each AB with the muscles just tightening up.
I am not recommending that he play the field, because that’s ridiculous. Need to have him on a bike every inning to keep him loose.
Time to retire lol. All jokes aside tho this sucks. Would love to see a full season of him and Robert healthy.
When he first came up he looked like a man of steel. Turns out Eloy’s an alloy.
FYI: Steel is an alloy of iron. Just saying…
Boom goes the dynamite!
Thumbs up for the classic “Boom goes the dynamite”… Haven’t heard that in ages.
Well, you figured he’s steel himself against the hamstring stress.
Sooner or later the organization will need to iron out his injury issues along with those that have impacted their other key players over the last few seasons. Many of their lauded contract extensions are nearing the end.
What? Eloy is hurt, that never happens
It happens more than you might think…
Like clockwork.
What a bum
Bubble wrap Eloy
Bubble Boy Eloy
water wet
Water isn’t wet; it’s a liquid that makes things wet.
your mother
He has been DH full time this year. How did he get hurt? Did he get a splinter in his bum sitting on the bench between innings?
The guy can’t play in the field. Not sure how much longer they need before they figure it out. He’s slow, awkward, and there is no grace to his movement whatsoever. Even Yordan makes this guy look bad, and I’m dead serious about that. Dude is a born 1B/DH.
He’s been a DH full-time this season. He hasn’t been playing in the field.
Of course, I didn’t thoroughly read through the comments and article before I posted; just what I’ve always thought of him. I’m glad they are finally starting to protect him. He could be one of the greats at the plate
Thanks Cubs !!!
Jose Q says hi! From Dylan’s cabana.
Water is wet. The sky is blue…
April 2022 — “General manager Rick Hahn took issue with Eloy Jiménez being labeled as ‘injury prone’ in wake of the White Sox slugger going down with a hamstring injury. Hahn, who met the media for 20 minutes Tuesday, said he caught wind of “lazy analysis” characterizing Jiménez as such. “Couldn’t be further from the truth in terms of the fact that he’s missing significant time this year and last year,” Hahn said, “that’s the extent that you can call the guy injury prone.”
It truly does not matter. The only teams WSox are better than in the AL heading into 2023 are Oak/Det/KC even if they are healthy. Their supposed core doesn’t drive in runs against RHPs. Unless a savvy FO replaces the long-time one that couldn’t rebuild the mess of its own making, they will continue to not be capable of drafting/developing a good club. Spending isn’t the issue. They spent a lot poorly and are being run by loyalists in over their head.
Better in the long run- Sox have the depth and need to find additional ABs for Gavin, Yaz and Burger. And having Eloy available for the stretch is key- he was en fuego in 2nd half
According to the article, Eloy is expected back by the end of the month even with the three week timetable, at least until his next boo-boo. The two big “second half” additions will hopefully aid their ailing bullpen, closer Liam Hendriks and southpaw stud Garrett Crochet. Let’s hope the team is still relevant in the standings later this summer. They can’t afford any more injuries, particularly to their starting rotation or behind the plate.
Dumpster, you are a funny guy. More ABs for Grandal and Burger!!
It’s not like him hurting his hamstring now guarantees that he won’t do it again for whatever, “the stretch”, ends up being for the WS.
Worst Doctors and trainers ever. Who’s next? They should rename themselves the Chicago Pulls. Then Jerry could own the Bulls and the Pulls.
What’s with Marmol calling out O’Neill, I thought that was weak sauce. I know Tyler has been busting his butt to get in proper shape to play CF regularly ; so laziness is not an issue.
Sorry somehow I posted this in the wrong thread lol.
I’m not sold on Tyler Oneill by ANY stretch, but I don’t call out his effort level. BAD move by Marmol.
LOL
The key phrase in the story “when healthy”. Sox fans have been asking that question for some time.
How quickly things change. Everyone hailed the White Sox after the 2021 season.
Anyone know why it took so long for this to happen?
The fragile elite, they dragged off the street. I guess they couldn’t take it no more.
This dude, Jimenez, belongs in a BEER league. He cannot even button up his shirt, let alone run to first or play the OF without getting hurt….#DemandrefundfromCubs.
MLB needs DHs for fielders just as they have for pitchers.
That, my friend, is a novel proposition I have never contemplated before. I will need to cogitate on that for awhile to see if it’s doable.
That didn’t take long (or did it?)
Eloy Jimenez on IL… ahh… baseball is truly back!
Actual, that’s why the Cubs were willing to give him up in trade…they saw that he didn’t project to remain as an OF. He’s not especially diligent when it comes to off the field prep. Jimenez being relegated to a DH at age 26 is sad. Cease is definitely a great SP but the trade isn’t as lopsided as once thought.
A lot of BS here. Eloy was a decent enough OF as a Cubs minor leaguer. He was slimmer and more athletic back then. He primarily played RF with a better than average arm. The concern was him bulking up as he aged, likely moving him to LF or potentially 1B with his height. The Cubs had some OF depth in their system including another potential generational hitter who was further along and who had similar ‘bulking’ concerns in RF Jorge Soler.
The fact is, Eloy actually resembled his former Cubs self this spring after he shed 20-30 lbs over the offseason. He wanted to show the White Sox that he still had plans to man an OF corner. That said, the White Sox had still yet to play Jimenez in the OF thus far during the regular season. They had an opportunity on opening day with Astros southpaw ace Framber Valdez on the mound. They were reluctant to let rookie lefty slugger Oscar Colas debut against him but chose right-handed hitter Romy Gonzalez to man RF with Eloy DH’ing. It should be noted that Gonzalez was primarily an infielder until getting some OF reps last season and in spring camp. Jimenez had far more OF and RF experience than Gonzalez as a professional player.
MacPhisto, you’re in the neighborhood, but I’ll clear some things up. Eloy played LF almost exclusively for the Cubs after rookie ball. He was considered a below average fielder because he wasn’t/isn’t very athletic. His arm was solid but because he isn’t athletic he wasn’t very accurate. Cubs didn’t expect him to stick in the OF and 1st wasn’t really an option. Also even his first years in the minors, Eloy missed significant time due to injuries and often had to DH.
Soler was traded in Dec 2016 for Wade Davis. Eloy was traded at the 2017 trade deadline. Kyle Schwarber is the player the Cubs opted to keep, because he was a lefty, with a similar hit profile.
Despite losing the weight this off-season, the slender kid he was in 2017 is looooooong gone. Other than the fact that Eloy loves donuts, he is not particularly athletic, he’s going to pack on the weight and he’s going to get injured just as he has every year since he signed with the Cubs.
You are correct regarding Eloy with the Cubs although he did actually play more RF than LF overall in 2017, the year he was traded to the White Sox. Much of that was with the White Sox in A+ Winston-Salem and also when he made his AA debut with their affiliate in Birmingham.
That said, I do recall the show Eloy put on representing the Cubs as the star of the 2016 Futures All-Star game including the catch he made in RF. You can also see White Sox rep Yoan Moncada in the footage as he raced out to RF from his then position of 2B:
mlb.com/video/eloy-does-everything-in-futures-c921…
I’m confused…Are you suggesting that a play from a 2016 minor league all-star game is representative of Eloy’s ability to play the field in 2023?
Looks like they have both been on the same Dunkin Donuts diet.
I was merely reinforcing my previous statement that Eloy had played a lot of RF earlier in his professional career. That Future’s All-Star game was the first time I ever saw him play. I was interested in him as a highly regarded Cubs international prospect with no idea he would become a noted White Sox prospect a year later.
Btw: I was in error regarding Yoan Moncada in that same Future’s game. Moncada was still a Red Sox prospect that summer. He was traded to the White Sox along with Michael Kopech and others in the Chris Sale 2016 Winter Meetings trade that helped kick off the ChiSox rebuild.
I would imagine the White Sox front office was keenly interested in that particular All-Star game since they were preparing for their upcoming rebuild that summer. The game was in the wake of the infamous James Shields for Fernando Tatis Jr. trade that occurred earlier in the 2016 season. It was the final attempt by the front office to supplement a roster they considered a contending one. The White Sox and Shields failed to produce as the summer wore on which is when GM Rick Hahn convinced owner Jerry Reinsdorf and top executive Kenny Williams that the team needed to rebuild rather than continue to be “mired in mediocrity” with their incessant reloading and retooling philosophy. Hahn began conversations with real contenders as the 2016 summer trade deadline approached but didn’t begin consummating any significant deals until later that offseason.
Is he made of glass like Kevin Durant?
Mr. Glass.
Too bad he seems to be injury prone. When healthy, sure can hit. That being said, I hope Burger tears the cover off the ball and gives them something t think about whenever Eloy returns. Maybe Someone else get sent down or maybe a showcase to trade Burger to a team needing a hitter?
I don’t think the White Sox roster allows them the ability to carry Burger on the roster because Sheets and Eloy are already DHs. If you put him in the lineup, he’s taking ABs away from them. It’s obvious they can’t play Eloy in the field. And Burger can only play 3rd and he doesn’t do it well.
You can only “showcase” him in Charlotte and even at his best, his trade value is extremely limited.
I wonder how often Jake Burger is in a pickle on the bases. I’m sure his plays are well-done. Raw talent that often gets grilled on MLB Hot Stove.
The Sox should be carrying a third catcher, so they can get Grandal off the field late in games.
I’m old enough to remember when every team carried 3 catchers with only a 25-man roster.
I’m old enough to remember when teams routinely had 10 pitchers and 15 position players as their normal roster split.
I’m old enough to remember when teams carried an exclusive pinch hitter and platoon options at numerous positions instead of 8 relief pitchers.
I’m old enough to remember when nobody gave a crap that their corner outfielders and first baseman had to be good defenders. It only mattered that they were impact hitters. I wonder how many All-Star and even HOF players from yesteryear would even get a sniff from scouts these days with their lack of ‘athleticism’.
I’m old enough to remember when defense was the prime concern for a team’s C, SS, 2B and CF, not their OPS+, wRC+, launch angles or exit velocities.
I’m old enough to remember when games routinely lasted 2:00-2:30 minutes and didn’t need to have cochamamie rules to speed it up or shorten it in extra innings.
I’m old enough to remember when I could afford to attend a baseball game with my saved up allowance money and still splurge on a soda pop and a hot dog multiple times during the course of a season.
I’m old enough to remember when games on TV were free (at least in Chicago) and I didn’t have to shell out a fortune to watch my two favorite teams on seperate paid networks. I can’t even stream those games at an affordable rate compared to what I can get with other forms of entertainment today.
Yes, flipping on WGN or WSNS or WFLD to catch a Sox or Cubs game for free. Part of what you’re saying is why I hope Burger makes an impact. Is he a chiseled physical specimen, no. But neither were Kirby Puckett, Cecil Fielder, Kyle Schwarber, Ted Luzinski etc yet those guys could mash and put runs up. You weren’t necessarily looking for Gold Glove defense from them.
If Burger does well enough, maybe a team needing a 3B/DH/ Bench bat might be interested in some kind of a move. Already have seen a few teams making moves in the first few weeks with players that aren’t working out, Who knows? Personally I like him, don’t know if the Sox can find a spot for him though. I’d rather it work out that way than what happened with the Yerminator.
All true. Teams also accepted reality, and had one guy designated as a “long reliever”, rather than blow through 3 or 4 guys in a blowout loss.
If I were a GM, I’d have a roving pitching coach in the minors, teaching older guys (who have never made it to the big leagues, or battling career ending injuries)… who does nothing but teach the journeymen how to throw a knuckle-ball. If the Sox had a guy like Wilber Wood or Charlie Hough in the bullpen, they could carry 11 or 12 pitchers and get players off the field… those guys could pitch 5 innings every other day if needed and could start the second games of double headers.
Is it just a coincidence, that position player injuries started to increase, when the number of pitchers rose from 10 per team, to 13?
There’s a science to walking through windows.
6 games in TA tossed and Eloy out nothing has changed. Still a .500 team. Start dumping them save the season now.
Wow never thought I’d be glad we got rid of Eloy.
How’d Lynn do today?
I know you are being a troll, but Lynn has not looked good so far this year.. looks like reality it finally catching up to the guy.
A Giant-sized ass kicking, eh?
‘Playoff caliber’ teams typically do not get outscored 31-16 in their three game home opener… Sadly looking like more of the same from last season.. Hopefully with no more shift they could actually get something for Grandal if he stays healthy. However, the other telling thing about the Sox training staff that I saw during a game this season was a trainer went out there after Moncada fouled off a pitch on his right leg and the idiot trainer thought it was his left leg and was grabbing at that leg asking where it hurt….LOL. So nice to see the Sox conditioning staff is in mid season form as well.
Eloy is a walking ER. I cannot believe he still thinks he can play the outfield. He cannot even run the bases without getting hurt. Can he chew gun and walk? LOL. While hamstrings are a pain in the butt, this is a joke. Especially this early in the season. He is doing something wrong or, not doing something right. This is getting old.