The Chicago White Sox finally have some positive injury news to share. Monday afternoon, the team announced slugger Eloy Jiménez has been cleared to resume baseball activities. Jiménez has not played this season after suffering a ruptured pectoral tendon attempting to rob a home run in spring training.
Here's the video of Jiménez's injury:
Although he is set to begin workouts, Jiménez's return is not imminent. The White Sox say he will spend the next four weeks going through his rehab work, and after that, he could be cleared to begin a minor league rehab assignment. That means he's still a good 6-8 weeks away, and is looking at a return in late July or August.
Jiménez is one of three young core White Sox players sidelined with a long-term injury. Center fielder Luis Robert suffered a torn hip flexor last month and second baseman Nick Madrigal went down with a hamstring tear last week. Robert could return later this year. Madrigal is weighing season-ending surgery.
In two MLB seasons the 24-year-old Jiménez has authored a .276/.321/.527 batting line with 45 home runs in 177 games. He is in the third year of a six-year, $43 million contract he signed in March 2019, before he even made his MLB debut. Andrew Vaughn and Adam Engel has been filling for Jiménez and Robert in recent weeks.
Despite all the injuries, the White Sox are in first place in the AL Central with a 41-24 record. They have baseball's second best record behind the Rays and baseball's best run differential (plus-109).
