Eloy Jiménez fouled a pitch off his left leg throughout a fifth-inning at-bat in Game 1 of a doubleheader final week in opposition to the New York Yankees.
Jiménez remained within the sport, hitting the go-ahead two-run homer in his subsequent at-bat.
“It was hurting but I had to do what I had to do,” he mentioned earlier than Wednesday’s sport at Dodger Stadium.
Jiménez performed Game 2 final week, however exited within the ninth inning with decrease leg discomfort after operating slowly to first whereas making an attempt to beat out a double play. The throw to first was wild and Jiménez reached second, and he was checked on by the coaching workers earlier than leaving the sport.
“I started feeling it when I was moving around,” Jiménez mentioned. “It wasn’t actually unhealthy. But as quickly as I received chilly — I used to be hitting, sitting down, hitting, sitting down — I began getting tighter and tighter after which it was hurting.
“It was something with my heel. I don’t know how to describe it. It was just sharp pain.”
He missed the following 4 video games however returned Wednesday in opposition to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jiménez went 2-for-5 with one RBI, serving to the Sox rally to beat the Dodgers 8-4.
He began the staff’s comeback with a double main off the eighth. Jake Burger adopted with a two-run homer to tie the rating at 4. The Sox scored one other run within the inning to take the lead.
Jiménez drove in an insurance coverage run with a single within the ninth.
“Eloy had a couple important hits,” supervisor Pedro Grifol mentioned after the sport.
Jiménez mentioned earlier than the sport, “I feel good. I feel ready. Just keep working.”
“(He’s a) big bat in the middle of the order,” Grifol mentioned Tuesday.
Jiménez is slashing .262/.318/.440 with six homers and 25 RBIs in 36 video games throughout a season that was interrupted by an appendectomy in early May.
Jiménez mentioned he tried to take as many swings as he may to attempt to preserve a rhythm.
“He’s getting back to playing quicker (from injuries) because of the work he did in the offseason,” Grifol mentioned earlier than Wednesday’s sport. “He labored his (butt) off within the offseason. I’m hoping these (accidents) are simply issues that come up and he can put a few of these behind him and simply end off the yr sturdy.
“All I know is I’d like to see these guys healthy together so we can see if we can make a run with this thing.”
Jiménez was the designated hitter Wednesday.
Asked when he is perhaps in proper discipline once more, Jiménez mentioned, “It’s not my decision, but at least I’m in the lineup so something good.”
He’d wish to get again to the outfield as quickly as attainable.
“I’m going to do it even if I can’t,” Jiménez mentioned. “That’s part of my personality. Even when I can’t, I try to do my best to help the team.”
Jiménez has three homers and 10 RBIs in 10 video games as the proper fielder and three homers and 15 RBIs in 26 video games as a chosen hitter.
“I think he likes playing the outfield,” Grifol mentioned. “It simply retains him within the sport, takes his thoughts away from hitting and dissecting each little factor and mechanically and all that stuff. DH, you discover ways to do it. And it takes a little bit little bit of time. You can overthink your self.
“We have to all put our heads together and decide when that’s the right time to do (to go back to the outfield). We certainly don’t want to put him in harm’s way and get back on the (IL). But I certainly want him to play the outfield because when he does that, it allows us to get Burger in there (as a designated hitter) and get some of these other guys we want to get in. I’d like for him to play some outfield.”
Jiménez shifted from left discipline to proper this season after the Sox signed Andrew Benintendi in December.
Jiménez mentioned he feels “very comfortable” in proper. He did discover one challenge, joking, “It’s actually removed from the (house) dugout to proper discipline, however it’s OK.
“I need a scooter.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com