Former Silver Slugger Award winner gets demoted to Triple-A

One veteran slugger’s fall from grace continues.

The Baltimore Orioles announced on Tuesday that they are optioning Eloy Jimenez to Triple-A Norfolk. Ryan Mountcastle is getting reinstated from the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move.

Jimenez, who was acquired from the Chicago White Sox via a trade-deadline deal in July, had posted five straight seasons of double-digit home runs to begin his career. He peaked as a rookie in 2019 with 31 home runs and 79 RBI and then followed that up with 14 home runs and 41 RBI in just 55 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season (earning himself a Silver Slugger Award that year).

But the former top prospect has been badly hampered by several lower-body injuries (hamstring, groin, adductor) in recent years, including some that were rather unlucky. Jimenez was limited to 98 total games this season and posted career-worst numbers with a .238 batting average, a .626 OPS, six home runs and 23 RBI.

The Orioles are looking good at 86-70 and looked poised to clinch the first wild-card spot in the AL. But they are also making tough decisions ahead of their playoff run and even just DFA’d a nine-time All-Star as well.