Eloy Jimenez’s Bat Is Starting To Come Alive
Don’t look now but Eloy Jimenez is starting to heat up at the plate.
On Monday the 27-year-old drove in his eighth RBI of the season. In his last seven games, Jimenez is hitting .321 with two home runs, five RBIs, and a .571 slugging percentage. The recent hot steak helps mask a slow start at the plate for Jimenez, who went just 2 for 21 in his first 23 at-bats. During the Opening Series against the Tigers, he slashed just .182/.182/.182.
But as Jimenez has begun to heat up so has the offense. During his recent five-game surge the White Sox offense has averaged 5.2 runs per game. Jimenez logged his first multi-hit game of the season on April 20th against the Phillies. In the seventh inning, he tattooed the first pitch he saw for a 106.9 mph ground ball into left field. In the ninth inning, he hit a line drive into left field for an RBI single. Jimenez picked up right where he left off the following day hitting a 421-foot line drive into the center field stands at Citizens Bank Park for his first home run of the year.
All of his hits this season have either been pulled to left field or driven up the middle. There is even more room for improvement if Jimenez can cut down on his strikeouts. Currently, Jimenez owns a 23.5% strikeout rate, which is the highest mark of his career since 2021. His hard-hit percentage is also at a career low. However, his walk rate is up to 8.8%.
Jimenez is on a mission to have a big season. He previously said his goal was to hit at least 40 home runs if he can stay healthy. The health goal was derailed early in the season when Jimenez injured himself running to first base and landed on the 10-day IL. Since coming off the IL on April 15th the 2020 Silver Slugger winner is batting .277.
During the offseason, the Dominican slugger worked on changing his batting stance, by moving his hands higher before his load. It has resulted in a nearly 24% line drive percentage which is the highest it has been since 2020. After belting a three-run homer 410 feet in a 9-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday some of his teammates began to take notice.
“He’s starting to slug, and that’s what we need,” Gavin Sheets told reporters after Friday’s game. “You see some results, you start to feel better at the plate and then it gets guys going, and everybody feeds off it.”
Everyone knows the type of hitter that Jiminez can be. In 2019 he led all American League Rookies with 31 home runs. But for whatever reason his talent has failed to translate into consistent production. Part of this is due to injuries. With the White Sox missing Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert Jr., they need Jimenez to set the tone in the middle of the lineup. With a $16.5 million club option at the end of the season looming, this is a chance for Jimenez to raise his value on the open market if the front office chooses to cut ties with him.