As the Chicago White Sox reported to Spring Training, Eloy Jimenez infamously said he was striving to play 150 games alongside Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert Jr. in 2024. It was always a lofty goal given the trio's lengthy injury history, and reality has set in just 11 games into the season.
Jimenez went down with a left adductor strain on opening weekend, Robert Jr. suffered a right hip flexor strain on April 5, and Moncada has now landed on the 10-day injured list with the same injury currently plaguing Jimenez. However, Moncada's injury is much more significant with a recovery timeline of 3-6 months.
A revamped — albeit unimproved — White Sox roster looked to turn the page on a dismal 2023 season, but its notable holdovers are experiencing an all too familiar fate. Injuries are piling up, the South Siders are off to a 2-9 start, and recent losses have featured nonexistent offense, sloppy defense, and unreliable bullpen performances.
Sound familiar?
While the White Sox did enough to scratch out a win on Tuesday after Moncada went down, their blemishes are similar to the issues that doomed the 2022 and 2023 seasons. And with the team's remaining core players banged up once again, it's hard to envision the Sox' fortunes improving in the foreseeable future.
Regardless, the White Sox must trudge forward in the 162-game grind. With Moncada going on the shelf, the club recalled Oscar Colas from Triple-A Charlotte. He joins Robbie Grossman and Lenyn Sosa as call-up replacements for Jimenez and Robert Jr., respectively, as the White Sox look to weather the storm.
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