White Sox: Eloy Jimenez is learning how to be a good DH
For a long time, it seemed as if the Chicago White Sox star Eloy Jimenez was incapable of being a designated hitter. Although he is an injury risk/defensive liability in the outfield, he couldn’t hit well if he wasn’t involved in the game more.
Obviously, he is showing now that he is absolutely capable of being a designated hitter now. It took a while for him to get to this point but it would be best for the team if he can keep it going. There is no reason to keep him in the outfield if they don’t need to.
He is obviously someone who can change a game with one swing so keeping him healthy is the most important thing. He has been injured a lot over the last two years but the second half of this 2022 season is showing just how valuable he can be.
In the second half of this season, he has had numbers comparable to Aaron Judge who is running away with the American League MVP. The sky is the limit for him if he can stay healthy for 140 games a season. There will always be bumps and bruises but he needs to start staying healthy.
Eloy Jimenez is someone that can be a game breaker for the Chicago White Sox.
Chicago is 13-6 under interim manager Miguel Cairo. A lot of that is because they are clearly trying to hit for power more often. There is nobody in the White Sox system that would benefit from that more than Eloy Jimenez.
There is no wonder why the White Sox winning more games is in line with Jimenez getting hot in the box. The fact that he can do it as a designated hitter now is very important for the White Sox. Before this injury that he had in 2022, all of his injury problems have come in the outfield.
No matter what happens to the White Sox this season, keeping Eloy Jimenez healthy going into next year needs to be near the top of the priority list. Trading him seemed like a fair option earlier in the season but now you better be getting something really nice in return.
As long as he can stay healthy, he is an elite hitter so having him hit exclusively is a great plan for a team trying to win.