WHITE SOX SLUGGER JIMENEZ TO MISS MOST OF YEAR
Chicago White Sox slugger Eloy Jimenez is expected to be sidelined for five to six months after rupturing his left pectoral tendon Wednesday trying to make a play in the outfield during an exhibition game.
Jimenez needs surgery to repair the injury, putting his season in jeopardy. General Manager Rick Hahn said the team will know more when he begins the rehab process.
“Obviously a difficult loss for us, important part of our offense, and one that is a bit of a shock to the system,” Hahn said Thursday on a video conference call, a day after Jimenez was hurt.
“At the same time, if there was one area of this team that perhaps could withstand a significant blow, it would arguably be on the offensive side of things,” he said.
Even before the diagnosis, the injury immediately led to another round of questions about whether Jimenez might be better suited for designated hitter than left field — where he has gotten hurt a couple times since his big-league debut in 2019.
“Our biggest concern is Eloy. He’s the guy who’s hurt. He’s the guy that’s got to go through the rehab,” manager Tony La Russa said.
“As a team, you look at what you have, not what you don’t have. We don’t have him, but we have other guys. It’s not going to be an open spot. Somebody’s going to play there.”
Chicago is looking for a deep postseason run after it made the playoffs last year for first time since 2008. With Tim Anderson, AL MVP Jose Abreu and Yoan Moncada, it has one of the most potent lineups in baseball, but Jimenez’s prolonged absence leaves the team without one of its most dangerous hitters.
The 24-year-old Jimenez, who throws and bats righthanded, was acquired in a July 2017 trade with the crosstown Cubs. He hit 31 homers in his first year in the majors in 2019. He batted .296 with 14 homers and 41 RBIs in 55 games during the pandemic-shortened season.
Jimenez got hurt when he tried to make a leaping grab at the wall on Sean Murphy’s solo homer for Oakland in the second inning of their spring game. Jimenez’s left arm barely moved as he walked off the field with a trainer.
“Fundamentally, he got hurt trying to make a play,” Hahn said. “Was it the right decision to go for that ball, especially when put in the
context of spring training? Perhaps not, but fundamentally you like the fact that he was trying to make the play.”
Nelson makes Dodgers Jimmy Nelson
earned a job with the World Series champion Dodgers after missing last season due to a back injury.
The Dodgers selected the 31-year-old pitcher to the 40man roster and he signed a contract that pays $1.25 million while in the major leagues and $150,000 while in the minors.
Nelson allowed an unearned run over seven innings in four spring training appearances, giving up four hits and holding batters to a .160 average. He struck out nine and walked one.
Nelson can earn $1.5 million in performance bonuses for innings: $250,000 each for 90 and each additional 15 through 165. He also can earn $1 million for games: $250,000 apiece for 40, 50, 60 and 65.
Lefty Gonzalez retires
Pitcher Gio Gonzalez says he has retired after 13 major league seasons.
The 35-year-old lefthander signed a minor league contract with the Marlins and made one exhibition appearance, allowing seven runs and eight hits last Saturday while getting just one out against Washington, his former team.
“I gave it one last fight, unfortunately my body wasn’t keeping up with my mind,” Gonzalez wrote on Instagram. “My heart and my mind are finally at peace with my decision.”
He has a career record of 131-101 with a 3.70 ERA in 13 seasons for four teams.
Notable
The Rockies were fearing the worst when left-hander Kyle Freeland bent down after tossing a pitch in an exhibition game and grabbed his shoulder. So it was promising news when an MRI revealed no further damage than a strain in his pitching shoulder, which will sideline him for at least a month. Freeland will start the season on the injured list, but he could be back in the rotation a lot sooner than initially anticipated.
• Matt Harvey is back in the major leagues with the Orioles. Baltimore selected the contract of the 31-yearold right-hander, one week before its season opener at Boston.
• Max Fried will make his first opening-day start for the Braves, getting the nod in the wake of two stellar seasons.
• RHP Tommy Hunter was released from a minor league contract by the Mets.