Eloy Jiménez spent greater than two months on the injured record final season after tearing his proper hamstring whereas working to first base in late April. He appeared in 84 video games, making 50 begins at designated hitter and 30 in left subject.
Jiménez is set to remain wholesome for the Chicago White Sox in 2023 — and he needs to play within the outfield as a lot as potential.
“Last year I was in that situation that I needed to DH more than play outfield, but this year I’m really preparing myself to play more games in the outfield than DH,” Jiménez stated throughout a video convention Monday.
How that works out stays to be seen.
The Sox have a brand new left fielder after signing Andrew Benintendi to a five-year, $75 million deal. It’s the most important contract in franchise historical past in total worth.
“(Benintendi) comes here to play left field,” Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol stated in the course of the 2021 Gold Glove winner’s introductory information convention on Jan. 4. “He’s done it his whole career and he’s obviously very good at it.”
Luis Robert is the middle fielder and prospect Oscar Colás figures to be an possibility in proper. That may imply many nights at DH for Jiménez.
“I’ve spoken to Eloy, I’ve told him to continue to work in the outfield, to work some in right field as well,” Grifol stated on Jan. 4. “And in true professional manner, Eloy is like, whatever is best for this ballclub and whatever helps us win.”
Jiménez stated it was good to speak with Grifol.
“(Grifol) said it would be more in right field than left field because Benintendi is here now,” Jiménez stated. “But we didn’t talk about DH a lot.”
In the previous, Jiménez has made clear his choice to play within the outfield.
While it won’t have led to an entire embrace of the spot, Jiménez did make a significant contribution as a DH final season. He slashed .274/.343/.500 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs within the function.
“Last year, when I was DH’ing more than (playing) the outfield, it was because I got surgery,” Jiménez stated. “And I understand that. But this year I’ve been working really hard to play the outfield more than DH. So I don’t really think that I’m going to accept (embracing the DH role) because I’m working hard to get better and I want to play in the outfield.”
Jiménez by no means has performed proper subject in a major-league sport. He began 103 video games in proper within the minors in contrast with 240 in left.
“I’ve been practicing more in right field this year,” Jiménez stated of his offseason work. “I really feel higher. I used to be actually engaged on each side of the outfield, transferring backward, transferring backward and forward. This 12 months I really feel actually good.
“Right field is a lot different because every ball the right-handed hitter hits most of the time has some backspin. It’s way better being there.”
The Sox may need to type out the place Jiménez performs this spring, however there’s no questioning his significance to the offense. Even in restricted motion in 2022, he completed second on the group in homers (16) and fifth in RBIs (54). He slashed .323/.391/.558 in 65 video games after the All-Star break.
“I was feeling way better last year because I was more disciplined and that really helped me to do a better job,” Jiménez stated.
After lacking prolonged intervals the final two seasons due to accidents, Jiménez acknowledges the highest precedence.
“In my mind, I just say I need to be healthy,” he stated, “because I know If I’m healthy, I can help in my way.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com