Injuries and inconsistency have plagued Chicago White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez ever since 2021.
That year, he played just 55 games out of 162.
He accumulated 84 in 2022 and 120, a decent total, last year.
Still, one can’t help but wonder what he could do with 145 or 150 games in 2024.
After a somewhat discrete performance last season, in which he hit .272/.317/.441 with 18 homers and a .758 OPS, the slugger decided to shake things up.
He went to work in the offseason and overhauled his swing, hoping for better results.
So far, so good.
“Eloy Jiménez’s impressive spring is so important to the White Sox. Following swing adjustments, he has a 1.338 OPS while leading the team in at-bats (22). With a fast start, he can help the club build momentum — and set the stage for a deadline trade,” MLB insider Jon Morosi tweeted.
Eloy Jiménez's impressive spring is so important to the White Sox.
Following swing adjustments, he has a 1.338 OPS while leading the team in at-bats (22).
With a fast start, he can help the club build momentum — and set the stage for a deadline trade.@MLBNetwork @670TheScore
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) March 7, 2024
Jimenez is hitting .545/.565/.773 so far in the spring.
He is not much of a defensive asset, but this is a guy who knocked 31 balls out of the park as a rookie in 2019.
There is legitimate power in his right-handed bat.
What if he has a fast start of the season?
The White Sox, who aren’t expected to compete this year or even next, could have a valuable trade piece on their hands.
The trade deadline has been the perfect scenario for sellers in recent seasons, and Jimenez could be a difference-maker in the eyes of contenders provided he is closer to his career .811 OPS than the .758 mark he had last year.
They could get some much-needed prospects to revitalize their farm, but it will all depend on Jimenez’s first-half performance.
Things are trending up on that front.
NEXT: Dylan Cease Addresses His Trade Rumors