Jiménez opens up about 'frustrating' run of injuries

CLEVELAND -- There was a noticeable pause for 5 to 6 seconds when Eloy Jiménez was asked if he’s still having fun playing baseball during a pregame interview Tuesday in Cleveland.

“Sometimes,” the White Sox designated hitter said with a resigned smile. “It’s not fun when you get hurt.”

Thursday’s 8-4 loss to the Guardians marked Jiménez’s 46th game out of 89 played by the White Sox (25-64) during the 2024 season. He has missed time due to a left adductor strain, and after working his way back from that malady, he was sidelined again by a left hamstring strain.

But using the phrase “injury prone” evokes indifference and even a little bit of disdain from the 27-year-old.

“I don’t even know they call me that, and I don’t care because I know what I’m doing,” Jiménez said. “I know it’s easy to point at people when they want to be in your place.

“For real, I don’t care what they are saying because at the end of the day, I know what I’ve been doing, what I’m doing. And it happened to me, but I’m not the first or the last it’s going to happen [to].”

Jiménez had one single in four at-bats Thursday as the White Sox lost their ninth straight road series. He’s hitting .240 with a .672 OPS to go with five home runs and 13 RBIs.

Each of Jiménez’s first five big league seasons featured double-digit home runs, with a career-high 31 as a rookie in 2019, followed by 18 over 120 games in ’23. That power has not been prevalent in ’24, with a career-high 58.6 percent ground ball rate and a career-low 14.3 percent fly ball rate, according to Statcast.

Coming back from the latest injury is a process, which Jiménez understands. He also believes the home runs will come back as well.

“I’ve done it before, and I know it’s going to happen,” Jiménez said. “After you come back, especially when I was playing [on an injury rehab assignment] in Arizona, it’s way different down there.

“Down there, it’s easier to hit. Here, it’s the big leagues. This is a process, and I know it’s going to be hard. But I’m going to be there. I’m working really hard every single day to be back.”

That process remains a day-to-day endeavor since Jiménez’s latest return on June 23.

There were some recent games where Jiménez didn’t look as if he was running especially hard, drawing a terse reaction from the White Sox faithful. It’s not about a lack of effort for a player who has a passion for the game, but more about the litany of injuries.

“Fans pay for us to play hard, and I don’t blame them because they paid their money,” Jiménez said. “I’m just trying to do whatever I can possibly do in the moment. People sometimes don’t like that, but I try to do my best.

“It’s not like I don’t want to run. It’s not like I don’t want to play. It’s just like that’s the best that I have that day. Sometimes it’s bad, you know, because people don’t understand that. But at the end of the day, they paid their money to say whatever they want.”

Back in Spring Training, Jiménez set a goal for himself, Luis Robert Jr. and Yoán Moncada to each play at least 150 games this season. That idea evaporated when Jiménez was hurt on March 31, Robert Jr. on April 5 and Moncada on April 9.

Here’s where the major frustration arrives, spoken of by all three. They have a high level of talent. They put in the work to get better. They just don’t have the games to put up the numbers.

So, we return to the question of Jiménez still having fun as a player. He explained his “sometimes” answer with a bit more detail.

“Yes, I enjoy it because I’m here and if I’m here, it’s because my work is there,” Jiménez said. “It’s not like I get injured, and I don’t do anything. Sometimes it’s not enjoyable when you fail. I feel good, and I understand this is a process. At the end of the year, I know my numbers are going to be there.

“I work hard every single day, and with a purpose. Now, it’s just frustrating because it’s every season. And I’ve been putting in the work, I’ve been putting in everything I can possibly do. And it’s still happening.”