MILWAUKEE — Eloy Jimenez is ready to return.
The White Sox slugging left fielder has completed his injury rehab stint at Triple-A Charlotte and will be in the lineup Monday when the Sox play the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
“He’s flying in tonight and I’ll write him in the lineup tomorrow,” manager Tony La Russa said.
“As soon as he walks in the clubhouse, he’s going to light it up with his personality.”
And potentially give the Sox lineup a needed spark. Jimenez, 24, won his first Silver Slugger award last season after ranking second behind AL Most Valuable Player Jose Abreu on the Sox in home runs (14), doubles (14) and RBI (41) and slugging percentage (.559) in 2021.
When Jimenez had surgery to repair his torn left pectoral muscle in March, the expected return was 5-6 months. Four months later, he’s ready to rock, in left field or at designated hitter.
“[Triple-A manager] Wes Helms reports that Eloy is moving well in the outfield so we have the freedom to see what’s best,” La Russa said. “He’ll play as the DH or left fielder, I’m not sure. I understand both [options] are available. I also understand it will be steaming hot in Kansas City all four days so we’ll factor that in.”
Jimenez doesn’t like to DH but he has been injured playing left field multiple times, and he’s not as good defensively as rookie Andrew Vaughn, who stepped in nicely, learning a new position on the job. Vaughn, who batted fifth in the Sox’ game against the Brewers Sunday night, is a natural first baseman.
“I don’t think Eloy being here will take at-bats away from Andrew,” La Russa said.
The Sox were 58-40 and leading the AL Central by 8 1/2 games without Jimenez, center fielder Luis Robert, second baseman Nick Madrigal and catcher Yasmani Grandal. There have been numerous other injuries as well. On trade deadline week, getting Jimenez is a huge get at no cost.
“Everybody’s fired up,” La Russa said.
“He’s playing the outfield with good movement, he’s throwing, he’s reaching balls defensively, at the plate he’s swinging free and easy. It’s going to be more about timing. We’ll know more when we see him ourselves but it’s full speed ahead.”
The Sox building a nine-game lead in the AL Centeral “in my career, it’s one of the best performances by a team that loses key guys, starting with [Jimenez],” La Russa said. “He’s an RBI machine and here we are where we are.”
The Sox, who have lost three straight games, play the Brewers Sunday night looking to salvage the third game of a series after losing 7-1 and 6-1 in the first two games.
