3 potential injury replacements for White Sox and Eloy Jimenez

For the second time in as many seasons, Eloy Jimenez will likely play less than 100 games for the Chicago White Sox. Jimenez was carted off the field after trying to leg out an infield single during White Sox’s 9-2 loss to the Twins on Saturday.

He will be out for about 6-8 weeks as the White Sox have updated us. The good news is he has a chance to return before the end of the regular season. The bad news is the White Sox will be without their 25-year-old phenom and starting left fielder for the next couple of months.

The White Sox have already taken on their fair share of injuries. Last season, they were able to navigate around them but with limited depth on the roster, that will be a tall order for the 2022 squad. Garrett Crochet, Lance Lynn, Yoan Moncada, and Lucas Giolito have already been bitten by the injury bug.

The White Sox are in the midst of their championship window. They cannot afford to throw away any opportunities. Unfortunately, Rick Hahn’s offseason moves (or lack thereof) leave the White Sox in a bind.

Michael Conforto was easily the frontrunner in free agents available to replace Eloy Jimenez. In 2017 he made the National League All-Star team after posting a .279 average to go along with 28 home runs.

However, he just underwent season-ending shoulder surgery taking him off the table. Don’t be surprised if the White Sox use an in-house solution to plug the hole.

The Chicago White Sox are going to have to go in a different direction.

With Jimenez on the shelf, fans who have been wanting to see Vaughn in the everyday lineup may get their wish. Vaughn got acclimated to left field last season and is swinging a hot bat. The 24-year-old leads the White Sox with three home runs. He is also slashing .306/.375/.611 for a .986 OPS. His fielding leaves a lot to be desired but Jimenez was no Gold Glove outfielder either.

Judging by Tony La Russa’s early lineups, it would not be surprising to see Leury Garcia out there either. Garcia has gotten off to an abysmal start to the season, hitting just .108 with a .289 OPS.

However, Tony La Russa has inserted him into 11 of the White Sox’s first 14 games. He has even batted him in the three-hole on multiple occasions. Garcia has played 120 games in left field, including 26 last season.

Former first-round pick Adam Hasely is also an option. Rick Hahn added Hasseley this offseason in a trade with the Phillies for some outfield depth. He averages 10 Defensive Runs Saved and has a 3.3 Ultimate Zone Rating while roaming the outfield.

Unfortunately, his career trajectory has him pointing towards being labeled a bust. The left-handed hitter owns a career .272/.331/.398 slash line against right-handed pitching but had a subpar .429 OPS in 2021.

Maybe the change of scenery in Chicago and more consistent playing time will do him some good. But he is a very unproven commodity and rosters with unproven commodities don’t typically win championships.

The free-agent market is scarce so significant upgrades will be hard to find. Here are three players that aren’t currently on the Major League roster that could help fill the White Sox void in left field:

Brett Gardner

Brett Garnder would certainly bring a lot of experience to the Chicago White Sox.

Brett Gardner is one of the best of a lot of bad options in free agency. He does possess some positive attributes that may be attractive to the White Sox.

Gardner is a former All-Star, Gold Glove Award winner, and World Series Champion. He has spent each of his 14 seasons in the major leagues with the New York Yankees.

In 2011, Gardner led the American League with 49 stolen bases. In 2013 he led the league with 13 triples. He was named to his first All-Star team in 2015 and finished the season batting .259 with 16 home runs and a career-high 66 RBIs. The following season he took home a Gold Glove Award for his work in left field.

It looks like age is catching up to the 38-year-old. Last season he hit .222/.327/.362. The year before he had just a .223 batting average He did manage to hit 10 home runs in 2021.

Gardner would make sense because he would serve as a one-year rental who could provide some veteran leadership. Gardner has been around the game a long time and could pass down some wisdom to the White Sox’s relatively young outfield (with the exception of AJ Pollock).

Brian Goodwin

The Chicago White Sox could consider bringing back an old friend for 2022.

Brian Goodwin was brought in last season to help the White Sox replace their injury-depleted outfield. Could history repeat itself?

After slashing .221/.319/.374 with 8 home runs and 29 RBIs last season, he was outrighted by the White Sox at the end of the year. Goodwin remains unsigned. At this point, we know what Goodwin is as a major league player.

He has played 138 games in left field over the course of his six-year career. Goodwin also appeared in six games there last season including two starts.

Goodwin did have a few memorable moments with the White Sox. On August 2nd, he hit a walk-off home run against the Cleveland Indians and unleashed an epic bat flip. He then became the first player to hit a two-run home run to open extra innings during the White Sox Crosstown Classic matchup against the Cubs.

Is he a good solution? No. He has been on five teams in six years. He was also left off of the White Sox playoff roster. But he does provide the White Sox with a left-handed bat and would fit in seamlessly with the clubhouse. Seeing that the free agency market is scarce, the White Sox may not find many attractive options unless they try and trade for an outfielder.

Swinging a trade may be tough with the White Sox’s lack of assets in an already depleted farm system. Because of this, don’t be surprised if they settle for a player of Goodwin’s caliber or just use an in-house solution.