The injuries continue to pile up for the Chicago White Sox. The southsiders will be without outfielder Eloy Jimenez for the next 6-8 weeks following a significant hamstring injury suffered over the weekend in the team’s series against Minnesota.
Jimenez, who had to be carted off the field, joins Ryan Burr, Garrett Crochet, Joe Kelly, Lance Lynn, Yoan Moncada, Jonathan Stiever, and Yermin Mercedes on the team’s injured list. The injury comes just days after the club activated outfielder AJ Pollock following a 10 game absence with a hamstring injury of his own.
The righty suffered the injury trying to beat out a throw down the first base line on Saturday against the Twins:
Chicago (6-9), have been devastated by injuries in the early going of 2022. Everytime they seem to be getting healthier (activating Pollock and Lucas Giolito), the injury bug seems to rear its ugly head once more.
Only 25 years old, Jimenez has struggled to remain on the field during his 4 MLB campaigns to date. Arguably his best season was the COVID shortened 2020 schedule where he dressed for 55 out of the Sox’s 60 games and posted a .296 average with 14HRs, 41RBIs and 26 runs scored. The Dominican international took home a Silver Slugger award for his efforts.
However his 2021 campaign was limited to only 55 games following a ruptured pectoral tendon. Only 11 games into the new season, and Jimenez finds himself on the injured list once more.
White Sox manager Tony La Russa indicated that the team still needs to conduct a thorough physical examination, but that they weren’t expecting the outfielder back anytime soon.
The initial diagnosis is that Jimenez suffered a right hamstring tear (sometimes referred to as a strain), but the club is optimistic it won’t cost him nearly as many games as his pec injury in 2021. Conflicting reports as to whether he will require surgery have been floated out, however the team has yet to officially comment on the matter.
In his absence, Chicago deployed an outfield unit of AJ Pollock, Adam Haseley, and Andrew Vaughn. The club returned home Sunday and have a scheduled day off before opening up a 7 game homestand on Tuesday.