When it comes to success for the 2023 Chicago White Sox, a factor that comes to play is health. Eloy Jimenez is a name that rings the bell regarding health concerns over the past couple of seasons.
Eloy played a minimal 55 games in 2021 and just 84 games in 2022. If the White Sox want to thrive in 2023, they need Eloy Jimenez to have a productive and healthy year.
Eloy Jimenez has made changes to his body this past offseason:
Eloy Jiménez says he dropped about 25 to 30 pounds and feels amazing this spring, adding that it’s easier for him to move around at a lighter weight. Unsurprisingly, he still dislikes DH’ing and is approaching the spring as trying to be a starter in the outfield.
— Vinnie Duber (@VinnieDuber) February 22, 2023
Eloy Jiménez clearly wants to stick in the outfield, and quickness on defense would seem like the main benefit of his estimated 25-30 pounds of offseason weight loss. But he also said his swing has less effort into it now at his current size.
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) February 22, 2023
Eloy Jimenez says he’s 25-30 pounds lighter. “I’m quicker, faster. I feel great,” he said. pic.twitter.com/58SlIw62kz
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) February 22, 2023
The Chicago White Sox need a lot from Eloy Jimenez in 2023 and beyond.
Eloy Jimenez wants to keep a spot in the outfield but there may be better ideas than that despite his weight loss. The Chicago White Sox's outfield in 2023 should include Andrew Benintendi, Luis Robert Jr., and Oscar Colas.
They also should be expected to get depth from Gavin Sheets, Billy Hamilton, and whoever else finds their way on the 40-man roster. Eloy Jimenez sets himself up for success at the designated hitter position, giving him a better chance to maintain health throughout the MLB season.
Eloy should improve on the base paths this year due to the weight loss after coming off a season where he couldn't even run out a double at times.
Base running is a much-needed improvement for the White Sox and Jimenez should see an immediate impact. Eloy and the entire roster will be expected to avoid making mistakes while running the bases and that little bit of weight loss may be an essential factor.
Eloy Jimenez has also told reporters he feels easy on his feet. He has had a more accessible path to move faster, along with the ability to do things more effectively.
It is still unsure if Jimenez will see the outfield in 2023 but if he does, at least White Sox fans can go into it knowing that he attempted to make a much-needed adjustment for outfield play.
Eloy Jimenez doesn't want to be just a designated hitter and skipper Pedro Grifol approves of it:
Grifol said he couldn't evaluate Eloy's chances in RF battle because Sox haven't played any games. Added:
— Vinnie Duber (@VinnieDuber) February 22, 2023
"Communication is not always what you want to hear. ... Everybody's going to know their role. They might not like their role, but they're going to know their role."
Pedro Grifol is still unsure who will play right field daily for the White Sox in 2023 but is still impressed with how Jimenez has been handling and adjusting to the situation.
Eloy Jimenez makes an impact with his bat, which he will always be able to do. He should stick to the offensive side rather than potentially recovering another long-term/severe injury.
The weight loss will also impact his offensive abilities. If anything, it should shorten his swing path and generate rapid bat speed.
Eloy Jimenez lost between 25-30 pounds this offseason:
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) February 22, 2023
"I wanted to do it because I was like that when I was in Minor Leagues and I had success. So I thought why not do that here. The benefit is I’m quicker, I can run faster and I feel good."
Jimenez: "I just try to get better every year. I don’t have expectations on myself. I know I’m good, so if I’m healthy, that’s my biggest thing. If I’m healthy, I know I can do anything."
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) February 22, 2023
According to his theory, it worked during his Minor League baseball days so it will have the same impact on him in the big leagues.
The moral of the story is if Eloy Jimenez can play 140 games or more in a season, you can expect not only Eloy to have a productive year but also should expect the White Sox to have a successful campaign.
Eloy is a game-changing bat. At the end of the day, he is a bat that can give the White Sox playoff aspirations.