Eloy Jimenez reportedly may miss most of 2021 season for White Sox
By Josh Hill
Word out of Chicago is that White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez’s injury is much worse than initially feared.
Baseball power was looking like it might shift this season in Chicago from north to south.
With the Cubs floundering without much of a plan, the White Sox spent the winter fortifying a roster that truly looks like it can challenge for a World Series title this year. But the Sox have been dealt a gigantic blow in the form of a serious injury to franchise centerpiece Eloy Jimenez.
According to MLB insider Jim Duquette, the White Sox could be without their superstar outfielder for most of the 2021 season.
Hearing the news on CWS outfielder Eloy Jimenez is not good. Could be out most of the summer (5-6 months) with a torn pectoral @MLBNetworkRadio
— Jim Duquette (@Jim_Duquette) March 25, 2021
If Jimenez is out the max amount of time, he wouldn’t make his debut in the White Sox lineup until the end of the season.
Chicago has a deep enough roster that it could still make noise in a winnable AL Central, but this certainly doesn’t help.
Eloy Jimenez injury doesn’t sink the White Sox postseason hopes
Minnesota looks primed to repeat as division champions with the Indians, Royals, and Tigers looking hapless. Chicago was looking — and to an extent still looks — like a contender to challenge the Twins and restore an American League rivalry that has largely been dormant for the last decade.
Let’s be clear, even without Jimenez the White Sox are still a very good baseball team and should still be deep in the playoff hunt when Jimenez returns to the lineup. Chicago boasts one of the best infields in baseball with young stars like Jose Abreu and Nick Madrigal accompanied by veteran stars like Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada. There’s an extremely high likelihood that Andrew Vaughn is going to be everyone’s favorite slugger by the All-Star break and the Sox still have Luis Robert anchoring its outfield.
Losing a franchise player like Jimenez is typically a fatal blow to a team’s postseason dreams. But the Sox boast a deep enough roster that they can manage for the five or six months Jimenez recovers.
That’s not a bad position to be in if you’re a White Sox fan.