The Chicago White Sox may be holding on to outfielder Luis Robert Jr. at the MLB trade deadline, according to Yahoo Sports’ Russell Dorsey. But the team is sending designated hitter Eloy Jiménez to the Baltimore Orioles, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Jimenez has been limited to 65 games this season, spending time on the injured list with a left adductor strain and strained left hamstring. He’s batting .240 with a .642 OPS, nine doubles, five home runs and 16 RBI.
The six-year veteran has gone on the injured list eight times during his White Sox career, which began in 2019. This year, a left hamstring strain kept him sidelined for a month from May 22 to June 23.
Trade news: The Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a deal to acquire outfielder Eloy Jimenez from the Chicago White Sox, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 30, 2024
Jimenez has never played more than 122 games in a season. That was in his rookie year when he hit 31 home runs. He hasn’t come close to that performance since.
Baltimore has been getting decent production from its DH spot, ranking among the top seven teams in MLB with a combined .279 with an .839 OPS, 20 home runs and 63 RBI. As a team, the Orioles rank second in the American League with 537 runs scored.
However, Jimenez potentially adds a right-handed power bat to a lineup whose production is largely from the left side. During his career, he’s batted .264 with a .760 OPS versus left-handed pitching.
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Jimenez, 27, has two club options worth a combined $35 million remaining on his contract. However, the Orioles could pay a $3 million buyout for either 2025 or 2026, according to Spotrac.
In exchange, the White Sox receive reliever Trey McGough, reports USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. The right-hander, 26, has pitched between Double-A and Single-A in the Orioles’ system this season, compiling a 1.99 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings.
