Eloy Jiménez was again within the Chicago White Sox lineup because the designated hitter Friday, getting back from a hamstring damage that brought about extra anguish on the South Side than a block stuffed with potholes.
Jiménez was trying ahead to placing his injury-plagued previous within the rearview mirror, however however suffered his first damage throughout the dwelling opener April 3. His return offered him with a do-over of kinds, a recent begin for a Sox slugger with limitless potential that has but to be absolutely tapped.
“Kind of a little bit,” he mentioned. “Right now I feel good. It’s hot, so it’s perfect.”
It was an ideal evening for baseball at Sox Park, and the group was handled to an fascinating recreation in opposition to the Baltimore Orioles.
Starter Mike Clevinger made his dwelling debut, popping out of the bullpen earlier than the sport to the Kanye West tune “Gold Digger.”
It was a curious choice for Clevinger, whom MLB investigated for a number of months over allegations of home abuse made by the mom of 1 his youngsters. In March the commissioner’s workplace launched a press release saying it will not impose self-discipline on Clevinger “in connection with these allegations.”
The Sox then made Clevinger the No. 4 starter within the rotation over Michael Kopech, assuring he wouldn’t pitch within the dwelling opener. He dominated the Orioles over six shutout innings Friday, permitting one hit whereas placing out 5 and strolling 5.
A diving catch in left by Andrew Benintendi and a working catch of a foul pop up by Lenyn Sosa helped bail Clevinger out of his solely jam within the sixth, and the Sox scored a pair within the backside of the inning earlier than he was pulled.
While the climate was good, the Sox’s 5-8 begin getting into the homestand in opposition to the Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies was imperfect to say the least.
While the Sox welcomed Jiménez again, they positioned Yoán Moncada on the 10-day injured record retroactive to Tuesday with decrease again soreness. Moncada was not made out there to the media, however normal supervisor Rick Hahn mentioned it was “manageable” and regardless of “slow progress” would finally heal.
“And then all his problems will be behind him,” Hahn mentioned.
That gave the impression of wishful pondering, however Hahn is considerably of an skilled on discussing accidents, primarily based on years of getting to reply questions on them. “Precautionary” ought to his center title.
Tim Anderson and Joe Kelly had been therapeutic properly from their current accidents, Hahn mentioned, noting this was not a rerun of final season, as some followers already worry.
“You guys always hear from the most negative fans,” he mentioned. “The followers I speak to by no means come as much as me and say, ‘Rick, this is the start of just the same stuff as last year.’
“They seem to seek you guys out in the comments sections. Imagine that.”
It must be famous that that is Hahn’s eleventh season as Sox normal supervisor. The workforce has had a successful season twice, together with the 60-game shortened season in 2020. Imagine that.
Hahn mentioned he understands “the pessimism” and that they’ve talked since final offseason about being in “prove it” mode. The Sox made numerous noise in spring coaching about beginning new.
“We’re disappointed in how the start has gone thus far,” he mentioned. “There have been instances when the beginning pitching was most likely the perpetrator for maintaining us out of video games. There have been instances when the bullpen (was in charge).
“Both of those two stepped up over the week in Minnesota. So it’s just really a matter of getting each element clicking at the same time. The simpler way of explaining it is we know we have something to prove and we know we haven’t proven it yet.”
With Moncada on the IL, Jake Burger may get some prolonged time at third base. Burger homered off Tyler Wells within the second inning, giving Clevinger a 1-0 lead.
“When I came up, I talked to (manager Pedro Grifol) and had a role set,” Burger mentioned Friday. “It was going to be (Gavin) Sheets and I platooning in the DH role. Unfortunately, Yoán has an injury. You never want to see anyone get hurt. I’m just going to fill in in that spot. I feel good over there.”
Grifol declined to disclose how he would deal with third in Moncada’s absence, declaring that he was within the lineup that day.
“We’ll try to put the best club on the field every single night,” he mentioned.
Ditto for Sosa at second base.
“We’ll do what’s best for the team that particular night,” Grifol mentioned.
It’s solely April, however prying fundamental info out of Grifol might be as tough as washing home windows with a Kleenex. Let’s simply assume he’s attempting to win each evening, like each different major-league supervisor, and go from there.
In the opposite dugout sat Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde, whose workforce has carried out synchronized spitting drills throughout video games and drinks water out of a beer funnel to have fun dwelling runs. Hyde joked it’s like working at SeaWorld with all of the splashing. His Orioles look as in the event that they’re having a blast whereas incomes the status because the league’s largest frat home.
There’s loads of time for the Sox to show issues round and have the form of enjoyable that goes hand-in-hand with successful. Jiménez’s return ought to held hold the offense from going beneath water whereas Anderson and Moncada heal, and Luis Robert Jr. has regarded like an early MVP candidate.
“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Jiménez mentioned of Robert. “It’s good, he’s been good. I just pray to God that we can stay healthy.”
Answered prayers may be the Sox’s greatest hope of avoiding a repeat of 2022.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com