CHICAGO — It seems to be as if Chicago White Sox slugger Eloy Jimenez might spend a number of time at designated hitter this 12 months.
Jimenez himself has different plans.
The 26-year-old mentioned Monday he’s getting ready to play extra video games within the outfield, particularly in proper, after Chicago signed left fielder Andrew Benintendi to a $75 million, five-year contract. The White Sox even have Luis Robert in middle, to associate with Gavin Sheets and prized prospect Oscar Colás within the combine in proper.
Jimenez was sidelined for a few months final season after he had surgical procedure in April to restore a torn hamstring tendon behind his proper knee. He returned in July and completed with a career-high 50 begins at DH — not precisely his favourite opening within the lineup.
Requested whether or not he would embrace the DH function this 12 months, Jimenez responded: “I do not know.”
“Final 12 months, after I was DH’ing greater than (enjoying) the outfield, it was as a result of I acquired surgical procedure. And I perceive that,” he mentioned. “However this 12 months, I have been working actually arduous to play the outfield greater than DH. So I do not actually suppose that I will settle for it, as a result of if I am working arduous, I will get higher, and I wish to play within the outfield.”
Jimenez has been a little bit of an journey within the outfield since he made his main league debut with Chicago in 2019. He missed the beginning of the 2021 season after he ruptured his left pectoral tendon making an attempt to make a defensive play throughout an exhibition sport.
However he stays a power on the plate, and there’s no questioning his significance to the White Sox.
After Jimenez returned final 12 months, he hit .305 with 15 homers, 47 RBIs and an .895 OPS in his final 73 video games. He bashed 31 homers throughout his rookie 12 months in 2019, after which batted .296 with 14 homers and 41 RBIs in 55 video games through the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Chicago went 81-81 in 2022 and missed the playoffs after reaching the postseason within the earlier two years.
“We simply have to be wholesome; that is the important thing proper now,” Jimenez mentioned. “If we’re wholesome, we are able to do no matter as a result of we’re good on paper. But when we do not play collectively as a staff due to the accidents, we’re not going to do it, you understand? We’re not going to make it.”
Jimenez mentioned he has had “good communication” with Pedro Grifol since he took over as White Sox supervisor in November. Requested about his offseason conditioning, Jimenez playfully disregarded the query.
“I will offer you a shock. I am not going to reply proper now,” mentioned Jimenez, who plans to play for his native Dominican Republic within the World Baseball Traditional. “You are going to see me in spring coaching.”
Left subject was Jimenez’s solely defensive place in his first 4 years within the majors, as he made 235 begins on the spot amongst 316 huge league video games. However Benintendi has spent most of his profession in left, successful a Gold Glove in 2021 with the Kansas City Royals.
So Jimenez and Grifol have talked about him enjoying proper, however the 24-year-old Colás is predicted to get an extended take a look at the place in spring coaching after he batted .314 with 23 homers final 12 months within the minors.
Nonetheless, Jimenez has targeted not less than a few of his work on studying methods to play proper.
“It feels method totally different as a result of many of the contacts in left subject you do not know the place it will go,” he mentioned. “Proper subject is lots totally different as a result of each ball the right-handed hitter hits more often than not has some backspin. It is method higher being there.”
Along with the brand new place, Jimenez is getting ready for his first season with out Jose Abreu after the primary baseman left Chicago for a $58.5 million, three-year contract with the Houston Astros in free company.
Abreu has been a key determine in Jimenez’s profession.
“It’ll be slightly bit bizarre however that is the enterprise,” Jimenez mentioned. “We have to transfer ahead and play with what we’ve got.”