White Sox’s Jiménez making quick strides from torn hamstring

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago White Sox outfielder Eloy Jiménez said he is making quick strides in his recovery from a torn hamstring.

Jiménez said Tuesday he is coming along sooner than expected. He is pain free and has been running and swinging.

“We’re gonna be back sooner than later,” he said.

The White Sox are counting on Jiménez to bounce back in a big way after he missed much of last season because of a ruptured left pectoral tendon. He was off to a slow start with just eight hits in 36 at-bats before he was injured trying to beat out a grounder at Minnesota on April 23.

The 25-year-old slugger felt it as he was running toward the base. He then stretched for the bag, stumbled and was taken from the field on a cart. Jiménez had surgery a few days later, and the White Sox said he would be out six to eight weeks.

Jiménez’s injury is similar to the one that sidelined White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal for almost two months last season. Right-hander Lance Lynn also is on the injured list with a similar issue after he was pulled from his final start of spring training with right knee discomfort.

“When I went down … I was just a little frustrated because I wasn’t feeling good,” Jiménez said. “And then, that happened. Right now, I feel pretty good with the result that we have.”

Jiménez smacked 31 homers as a rookie in 2019 and followed that up by hitting .296 with 14 home runs in 55 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He was limited to 55 games last year after he was injured trying to make a catch on a home run during a spring training game.

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