Hi mom! Eloy Jimenez is back and better than ever. Actually, he has been back for a couple of weeks now, but after a couple of games to regain his timing and a bout of groin tightness he has now officially returned to form.
On Sunday night he put on a power display against his former organization. The Big Baby hit two home runs, one double, and had five RBIs in his first three at-bats. The next night he followed that up with two more home runs and five more RBIs in an 11-1 beatdown of the Minnesota Twins.
It only took Jimenez two innings to launch two balls out of the yard. In the first inning, he nuked a slider 454 feet off the grassy batters eye in center field. It was a testament to just how strong Jimenez is. His swing looks effortless and he is still able to launch moonshots. In the second inning, he put his quick hands and power on display, turning on a high fastball and clubbing it into the left-field seats.
“That was reaction, I’m not going to lie to you guys,” Jimenez told reporters when talking about his second home run. “I wasn’t looking for that pitch. I just saw it and hit it.”
With two swings Jimenez had a two-run homer and a three-run homer and five RBIs to his name.
Eloy Jiménez had just a little fun tonight.#ChangeTheGame x #CarryTheFreight pic.twitter.com/gPSBlfNMEd
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 10, 2021
It marked a feat that had never been accomplished before in White Sox history. Eloy Jimenez is the first player in White Sox history to have back-to-back games with 5 RBIs.
Jimenez is also just the third player in White Sox history with 10 RBI in a two-game span. He joins Jim Thome (2009) and Robin Ventura (1995). His recent tear is building on an already impressive young career.
Eloy Jimenez is batting .285/.327/.558 with 60 extra-base hits, including 44 home runs, 123 RBI over his last 162 games played… and he had just 25 career games before that. That is a scary thought for the rest of the American League because Jimenez is only going to get better. The ball explodes off his bat and he has the ability to hit 50 home runs in a season.
Speaking of 50 home runs, Eloy Jimenez is the fastest (187 games) White Sox player to 50 career home runs. The previous mark was shared by Ron Kittle and Jose Abreu (218 games).
“He’s one of the best hitters in the league, just going on a tear with the homers. The energy he brings to our team, it’s so great to have him back,” White Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito said after Monday’s game.
“I’d like to say I’m surprised by what he’s doing but I’m not because he’s really good.”
Eloy’s recent hot stretch is a reminder of what the White Sox have been missing for four months. The White Sox have been able to weather the storm and flourish in his absence, however with him in the middle of the lineup everything changes. Jimenez takes the pressure off of Jose Abreu, provides protection to Yoan Moncada, and serves as the biggest bopper in a lineup already full of power.
