DETROIT — Eloy Jimenez was back in the White Sox lineup after being away for 23 days, courtesy of an appendectomy he underwent in Cincinnati May 6.
Back somewhat sooner than expected, and none too soon for the Sox.
“When he’s in rhythm, playing every day and getting his four or five at-bats a day he’s one of the best hitters in the game,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “He hits for average, he hits for power. He drives guys in, he extends our lineup. There’s not much he can’t do at the plate.”
“Huge bat in the lineup,” pitcher Lucas Giolito said. “It’s good to have him back.”
He’s back in time for an upcoming June schedule that is much tougher than May’s, including the Yankees, Marlins, Dodgers, Mariners, Rangers, Red Sox and Angels.
In the Sox’ 6-5 loss to the Tigers, Jimenez muscled a broken bat, two-run double into left field against Tigers reliever Jose Cisnero in the seventh, pulling the Sox within 4-3. After Tim Anderson (double, two singles) beat third baseman Zach McKinstry’s throw home on Luis Robert’s ground ball to tie it, Jimenez slid head first — just as Anderson had but following a dash that took more time than the fleet shortstop — with the go-ahead run on Andrew Vaughn’s short sacrifice fly.
The result gave the Sox a 3-4 road trip in Cleveland and Detroit of the AL Central and a 8-5 mark on a stretch of 13 games against a division whose top team, the Twins, was 27-25 entering Sunday.
Going forward with Jimenez, the 2020 Silver Slugger winner, paints a better picture even with a 23-32 record and the hole the Sox have dug for themselves.
Jimenez is here to help, and he lived up to his promise to Grifol that he’d be back ASAP.
“I always have that mentality,” said Jimenez, who had longer IL stints with a torn pectoral in 2021 and hamstring tear in 2022. “Every time that I say ‘this [recovery] is going to happen quick,’ I put the effort and I’m here. You guys can see 2021 I came back in four months instead of a full season. Last year, the same in like three weeks or a month later. Three weeks later I’m here so it’s good.”
Jimenez was there, and in right field as the Sox worry not about the defensive risks and give Jimenez his wish. He handled three fly balls without issue.
“I like to play in the outfield,” he said. “Everybody knows I hate DH.”
Jimenez has felt more comfortable in right field than left, where he played every season before this.
“He has great hands,” said first base coach Daryl Boston, who works with outfielders. “He catches what he gets to. As long as he gets a good jump and his routes are efficient he’ll be fine.”
Akil Baddoo’s grand slam in the third put the Sox and starter Dylan Cease in a 4-1 hole. Cease needed 102 pitches to get through four innings.
The Tigers tied it in the ninth on Riley Greene’s triple and Javier Baez’ chopper to Anderson, who had a play at home but bobbled the play and settled for an out at first.
After the Sox failed to score in the 10th, the Tigers won it on Eric Haase’s sacrifice fly against Reynaldo Lopez.