The White Sox announced today that designated hitter/outfielder Eloy Jimenez has been sent to the Arizona Complex League White Sox on an injury rehab assignment. Rehab assignments for non-pitchers come with a 20-day maximum before they need to be reinstated from the injured list, if there’s no health setback.
Jimenez, 27, suffered a left hamstring strain about three weeks ago. Manager Pedro Grifol said at that time that Jimenez was going to miss an “extended period of time” without putting a firm timeline on it. Now it seems that he’s ready to get back into games and, barring a setback, return to the major league club by the beginning of July or perhaps sooner.
The timeline is notable since Jimenez is an obvious candidate to be traded before the trade deadline. The White Sox are deep into a rebuild, having traded away players like Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Aaron Bummer, Robbie Grossman, Reynaldo López, Jake Burger and others in the past year. They have a dismal record of 17-52 this season, the worst in the majors by a significant margin.
Jimenez is in the final guaranteed season of the six-year, $43M extension he signed with the Sox going into 2019. He’s making $13M this year and then there are two club options. Next year’s is priced at $16.5M with an $18.5M option for 2026, with each of those having a $3M buyout.
Over the course of that deal, he has shown the ability to be a significant threat in the lineup, but he has often struggled to deliver on that promise due to injuries. He has a career slash line of .271/.321/.479, which translates to a wRC+ of 116, indicating he’s been 16 percent better than league average overall.
However, his 122 games played in his rookie season are still a personal best. Since then, he has only once hit the 85-game mark. He has spent time on the IL due to a high right ankle sprain, a right ulnar nerve contusion, a left adductor strain, a ruptured left pectoral tendon, an appendectomy, a torn hamstring tendon and multiple left hamstring strains.
It’s possible that the compounding injuries are taking a toll on his body. He slashed .276/.327/.504 from 2019 to 2022 but has hit just .263/.310/.427 since the start of 2023, the latter line translating to a wRC+ of 102. Since Jimenez isn’t really a burner on the bases nor a strong fielder, the lesser offensive output is a blow to his value.
With the health problems and his diminished results of late, the interest is likely to be muted. What might help the Sox, however, is the expanded playoff field. As of this moment, the Sox are one of just five clubs that are more than 4.5 games away from a playoff spot. All other clubs will have to make some difficult decisions about how much to sell or whether to do any at all. The Rays and Blue Jays are reportedly putting off the decision until later while Astros general manager Dana Brown has said he plans on buying even though his club is near the back of the playoff race.
The Orioles could reportedly be looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder. The Mariners are leading their division but fired their offensive coordinator but of their struggles at the plate. Atlanta lost Ronald Acuña Jr. for the year and has been scuffling offensively lately. The Royals have a terrible outfield, something that MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently explored for Front Office subscribers. Teams like the Cardinals, Guardians, Reds, Rangers, Cubs, Blue Jays and Twins could be looking for some extra firepower.
Before any of that can even be a consideration, Jimenez will have to get healthy and stay that way for long enough to show some promise against major league pitchers. This year’s trade deadline is on July 30.
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Toronto Blue Jays fans don't have much to complain about. Despite losing 5-4 on Tuesday to the New York Yankees, their team leads the AL East by three games heading into play Wednesday against the Yankees. But not everything is perfect north of the U.S. border. Keegan Matheson, Blue Jays reporter for MLB.com, echoed that sentiment during Tuesday night's loss to New York in a post shared on X. "The #BlueJays need more from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and I don't understand why that's only being whispered instead of said out loud," Matheson wrote. Matheson has been beating this drum recently, and he's spot-on. Guerrero Jr., who signed a 14-year, $500M extension in April, hasn't produced superstar numbers. Through 99 games, Vladdy has a .283 average, 13 HRs and 48 RBI. Per ESPN, the 26-year-old is on pace for 21 HRs and 77 RBI, which would by far his lowest full-season totals in those categories since his rookie season in 2019. Although they have one of MLB's best records, the Blue Jays (59-42) lack pop in the lineup. Toronto ranks 20th in the majors in home runs with 105. If Vladdy finds his power stroke and turn it on in the final months of the regular season, the Blue Jays will go from being a playoff contender to a threat to win the World Series. If he doesn't, the Blue Jays aren't getting their money's worth.
Quarterback Caleb Williams will be the most watched player during Chicago Bears training camp. However, on day one, the defense came away as the true stars. In particular, veteran linebacker Tremaine Edmunds started off training camp hot, intercepting Williams on his first pass in 11-on-11 drills. Seeing the defense shine makes sense early in camp, especially as Williams and company learn Johnson’s offense. However, Edmunds himself is entering a make-or-break season. More flash plays like his pick will only put him in stronger graces with his new head coach. Alongside Johnson, new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was certainly impressed by Edmunds’ play. As he builds his first defense with Bears, Allen expects the linebacker to simply be an, “exceptional playmaker,” via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Tremaine Edmunds’ run with Chicago Bears After a successful five-year run with the Buffalo Bills, the Bears signed Edmunds to a $72 million contract entering the 2023 season. While he hasn’t been a complete disaster, it’s fair to say the linebacker hasn’t lived up to his billing just yet. Over 32 games with the team, Edmunds has racked up 223 tackles, 15 passes defended and five interceptions. Four of those picks came in 2023. as Edmunds’ 2024 59.2 grade from Pro Football Focus ranked just 119/189 linebackers. Clearly, the veteran still has a lot to prove entering 2025. And if things really don’t pan out, Chicago does have an out in his contract. However, the Bears are hopeful Edmunds will return to his game breaking self in 2025. During his time with the New Orleans Saints, Allen was able to coax impressive linebacker play. During the 2024 campaign, Demario Davis put up an eye-catching 136 tackles alongside seven passes defended and an interception. Davis and Edmunds are obviously two completely different players, but it’s easy to see how the latter could be a force in Allen’s scheme. One interception, even if it opened training camp, isn’t going to change the expectations placed on Edmunds’ shoulders. Despite being a veteran, head coach Ben Johnson is wiping the slate clean and making everyone on the roster earn their opportunity. Still, Edmunds has more than proved he can be a dominant force in the NFL. Now, Allen is just patiently waiting to unleash him once more.
With Mitch Marner’s move to the Vegas Golden Knights closing a major chapter in Toronto, GM Brad Treliving made a series of moves to replace his production. He might not be done. Three may be even bolder moves on the horizon. We’ve heard the names Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf before. However, the Maple Leafs are actively fielding and exploring trade scenarios as they look to reshape their roster — and according to Nick Kypreos, a handful of intriguing names are emerging in trade chatter: Morgan Rielly, Brandon Carlo, and former Leafs fan-favorite Nazem Kadri. The most surprising name still generating buzz is Rielly. Despite being a longtime cornerstone on Toronto’s blue line, his $7.5 million cap hit and no-move clause complicate matters. Yet with the team needing help up front, and possible interest in offensive defensemen like Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson, Rielly could become part of a larger plan if he’s open to waiving. Also surprising is the talk surrounding Carlo. A recent addition to the Leafs’ defense corps, he is already being talked about behind the scenes as a potential trade piece. If he were made available, there is interest around the league, as the 6-foot-6 shutdown defender has a team-friendly cap hit and strong penalty-killing ability. Trading Carlo could get the Leafs a top-six forward. Finally, reports on the availability of Kadri remain conflicting. Some say he’s not available, while others suggest that the Calgary Flames would consider the idea. The former Maple Leaf would be a welcome addition back to Toronto, but there isn’t much of a reason for the Flames to trade him unless the return is outstanding. Kadri reportedly would consider waiving his no-move clause for a reunion. That said, getting a deal done won’t be easy, especially with Montreal also rumored to be on his short list. Whether any of these deals come to pass or are just pure speculation, one thing’s sure: the Maple Leafs aren’t standing still. Treliving is trying to get his roster to score more goals. He seems willing to entertain any idea and play Moneyball with the roster if it will help.
The New York Giants opened up their first training camp practice by doing red zone work. Here is what we saw. Throwing Darts Now that head coach Brian Daboll has, for the umpteenth time since the offseason, announced that Russell Wilson will be the starting quarterback come Week 1, here is what Wilson and the other quarterbacks did on Day 1 (all unofficial). Malik Nabers: Lingering Toe Injury Being Managed But… Malik Nabers, who missed the spring with a toe issue, told reporters that surgery for his toe issue is still not completely ruled out down the line, but added that for now, the plan the medical staff has in place for him to help manage it seems to be working. “Everything’s been going pretty well with the rehab, so my toe’s feeling better,” Nabers said. “I’m just happy to be out there with my guys now.” Nabers also said he believes his practice reps will be managed this year. He added that he wasn’t sure if the injury would become a long-term issue. “Time will tell,” he said. An Overlooked Pass Rush Weapon? Micah McFadden did some blitzing in this practice, coming in hot from the offense’s right side and managing a pressure. This is an underrated skill of McFadden’s that the Giants haven’t utilized much, and one I hope they use more. Last season, he blitzed 29 times and managed eight pressures, including three sacks. The year prior, McFadden blitzed 53 times with eight pressures. McFadden could very well be an under-the-radar weapon in the pass rush that no one is paying attention to. Quick Hits Dexter Lawrence II saw limited snaps in team drills, but it’s nothing to worry about, as the Giants are simply easing him back into the mix after he was mostly limited in the spring.. Evan Neal received a significant amount of work at both guard positions, playing left guard with the ones and right guard with the twos. I didn't see anything stand out in terms of pressures allowed or anything similar, so that’s a positive. I still think when this is all said and done, the team wants Neal to be able to play left guard, which is where he lined up at Alabama for a season. That would then shift Jon Runyan Jr. to right guard, and Greg Van Roten would become the top backup interior option at guard and center. Kayvon Thibodeaux had a nice start to his summer. I had him with four pressures and a “sack” in this practice. Thibodeaux lined up on most of his snaps across from James Hudson III, who was working with the ones in place of Andrew Thomas (PUP). The Giants continued to rotate snaps between cornerbacks Cor’Dale Flott and Deonte Banks on the first-team defense. I still question if it's truly a competition or a way to light a fire underBanks’s backside, but I thought that today’s showing was a draw. Tight end Greg Dulcich, who has an uphill battle for a roster spot, came up with a one-handed grab for a touchdown in triple coverage that was highlight worthy. Winston threw the pass. What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channelfor the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? You can do so here.