MINNEAPOLIS — It has been a love-fest around the big leagues for rookies in 2019.
The Astros’ Yordan Alvarez, the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Rays’ Brandon Lowe — who wouldn’t want to watch each of those guys daily?
And don’t get us started on Padres sensation Fernando Tatis Jr. and Mets bopper Pete Alonso. It takes only a shred of imagination to close one’s eyes and hear a baseball wheezing its last breaths after Alonso launches it into orbit.
Then there’s the pride and promise of the White Sox, 22-year-old left fielder Eloy Jimenez. He hasn’t been talked about quite as widely as some of those other guys, but guess what? He’s kind of good, too.
We know — shocking.
‘‘When you put on ESPN, the first thing you see is Alvarez or Guerrero or Alonso,’’ Jimenez before the opener of a three-game series Monday against the American League Central-leading Twins. ‘‘They have monster years, and they are really good. Why am I going to lie and say I don’t see those guys? I’m going to see them because they are good.’’
It’s Jimenez who — despite missing 37 games because of injuries this season — entered this series with the AL rookie lead in home runs (27) and total bases (208) and ranked second in RBI (69).
The latest notch on his belt: the AL’s Player of the Week award for Sept. 9-15. Jimenez was 10-for-23 (.435) with three homers, 11 RBI and six runs scored in six games.
‘‘It means a lot,’’ he said. ‘‘Finally I got my timing back, and I feel good.’’
When manager Rick Renteria sees the man in the middle of the Sox’ lineup driving the ball to all fields, all is right in the world.
‘‘He’s seeing the ball well,’’ Renteria said. ‘‘I know it’s cliché, but he’s literally seeing the ball very well, getting good pitches to handle and [doing] it in big moments for us, as well. He’s both impacting us on a daily basis in terms of being able to put us ahead or tack on runs, whatever the case might be, and you see him growing and kind of feeling it a little bit. I think he’s pretty happy right now with where he’s at.’’
Never happier than he was when he tore into a grand slam at the start of last week as part of back-to-back four-RBI games against the Royals. The Sox have eight grand slams this season, third-most in the majors and more than they had in 2015 (one), 2016 (three), 2017 (one) and 2018 (one) combined.
‘‘My first grand slam in the big leagues, that was amazing,’’ Jimenez said.
But homers are infamously cheap in baseball this season. Ultimately, it won’t be the long ball that sets Jimenez apart from other top hitters. It’ll be studying pitchers, sharpening his understanding of the strike zone and — big ‘‘and’’ — staying healthy.
‘‘Just be patient,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s the biggest part for me. Be patient at the plate and just keep working hard.’’
The confidence is there already. All those other rookies can try to keep up as the Class of 2019 steamrolls into the future.
‘‘You guys can see [what I can do] when I’m healthy and playing every single day,’’ Jimenez said. ‘‘For me, the biggest thing is being healthy for next year. It’s going to be fun because I’m going to work hard. I hope God gives me the opportunity to play every single day.’’
