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Chicago White Sox DH Eloy Jiménez returns from the injured list: ‘A nice piece to have back’

LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune
·4 min read

The Chicago White Sox got one of their run producers back Monday, reinstating Eloy Jiménez from the injured list.

Jiménez wasn’t in the starting lineup but entered Monday’s game against the Kansas City Royals as a pinch hitter, representing the tying run, with two outs in the ninth. He struck out, as the Sox lost 2-0 in front of 10,569 at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox continued their slide, falling to 2-14 — the worst 16-game start in franchise history. They’ve been blanked six times this season.

Before the game, Jiménez said it was difficult not being able to participate.

“But right now, I’m just trying to do my best, help the team and let’s roll,” he said.

Jiménez didn’t want to put a number to how close he felt to 100%, but said, “I feel like I can play like this and help the team.”

He last played on March 31 against the Detroit Tigers, exiting in the sixth inning with a left adductor strain. The Sox retroactively placed him on the IL on April 2 after he didn’t make quite enough progress to remain active.

Jiménez is 2-for-11 (.182) in three games.

“It’s our four-hole hitter, so, yeah, it’s a nice piece to have back, have him available and make him part of this thing moving forward,” manager Pedro Grifol said.

Grifol said the Sox contemplated having Jiménez rehab with Triple-A Charlotte, but “we had that live BP (facing John Brebbia on Saturday) and we felt that he was in a good spot. And here we are.”

“He’s ready to come back and from our perspective, his live BP the other day was enough for him,” Grifol said. “He’s been taking good rounds of batting practice. He saw about 25 or 30 pitches from Brebbia the other day and at some point, you have to get in there and start seeing pitches in real games.”

Jiménez felt he was getting closer to coming back two or three days ago.

“I’ve been running the bases, hitting, and I feel good,” Jiménez said.

His return was one of five roster moves announced Monday.

The Sox officially called up starting pitcher Nick Nastrini, who made his major-league debut Monday. They optioned pitcher Justin Anderson and infielder Zach Remillard to Charlotte and transferred catcher Max Stassi — who has been on the injured list since March 25 with left hip inflammation — to the 60-day IL.

The Sox will have more moves Tuesday as prospect Jonathan Cannon will be called up to make his major-league debut as the starting pitcher against the Royals.

Cannon is the No. 11 prospect in the Sox system, according to MLB.com. The right-hander, a third-round draft pick in 2022, has a 2.79 ERA in two starts for the Knights this season.

“Those guys — they pitched well in the spring, they are talented, they have weapons and we are excited to see what they’ve got,” Grifol said of Cannon and Nastrini.

Grifol said the Sox are taking it day-by-day when asked if Nastrini and Cannon are here to stay.

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“The one thing we know is that we are comfortable with them pitching at this level,” Grifol said. “They are talented. But again it’s a debut (Monday for Nastrini) and a debut (Tuesday for Cannon) so we’ll see how it goes. I’m not going to get too far ahead of myself.”

The Sox will start Erick Fedde on Wednesday.

The shuffling could continue offensively, as the Sox contemplate ways to get Jiménez and Gavin Sheets in the lineup together. Sheets, who leads the team with eight RBIs, started at DH on Monday.

The Sox need an offensive boost. They entered Monday last in the majors with 34 runs. Prior to Monday’s game, the Sox held a team meeting.

Injuries haven’t made it any easier, with center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (right hip flexor strain) and third baseman Yoán Moncada (left adductor strain) on the IL.

“It really surprised me, because we really worked really hard,” Jiménez said of the injuries to Robert and Moncada. “For that to happen, it’s really sad.

“Right now, we need to play with what we have and be in a good position when they come back and can help us be a better team.”