Jimenez still waiting on call from Chicago White Sox

Rosters can expand starting Saturday, which marks the final month of the regular season.

The Chicago White Sox are expected to dip into the minor leagues and beef up their 25-man roster.

"I'm sure we'll have a few this weekend," manager Rick Renteria said. "They haven't been notified yet. Then, I'm sure there will be a few more once the regular minor-league season is over. But as we continue to move forward, the reality is I will manage and deal with whomever is here. I just have to continue to concentrate on the guys we do have."

Eloy Jimenez is one of the guys Renteria does not yet have, even though the prized outfield prospect penned a story that appeared in the Players' Tribune late last week under the headline "I'm Ready."

Here is an excerpt:

"Chicago, I'm ready!

Right now.

I'm ready to go.

I'm ready to put on that White Sox uniform and show you all what I can do.

I'm ready to be part of this community and to meet all the fans and to make it clear to you that there is a new era of White Sox baseball on the horizon with a bunch of exciting young players who are looking to make history.

I want to be someone White Sox fans can be proud of.

And, well, what can I say, I want to hit bombs.

Lots and lots of bombs.

Am I ready for the big leagues?

I'm beyond ready."

Are the Sox ready to call up the the 21-year-old outfielder, who tore up the Southern League with Class AA Birmingham at the start of the season and is currently doing big damage in the International League for AAA Charlotte?

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn usually makes himself available to the media before the first game of a homestand, but he chose not to Thursday.

On Aug. 20, the day top pitching prospect Michael Kopech joined the Sox from Charlotte, Hahn was asked about Jimenez.

"He's going to remain in Charlotte at this time and continue on the path that he's on," Hahn said. "We'll certainly continue to evaluate where he's at in the coming weeks, and when the time comes we'll explain the logic behind whatever decision with regards to the rest of his 2018 season as well."

Hahn has continually stressed the importance of being patient during the rebuild, and he also has vowed to block out any "noise" from fans and/or media about getting prospects to Chicago.

But what about Jimenez pushing for a promotion himself?

Or, his representation?

"I don't see what boxes he needs to check to be called up, except for service time," Nelson Montes De Oca, Jimenez's agent, told Fancred's Jon Heyman on Thursday.

Are the White Sox going to wait until next April to bring up Jimenez, which would buy them an extra year of service time?

If Jimenez is not in a Sox uniform by this time next week, the answer likely is yes.

Renteria understands why Jimenez's status is such a hot topic.

"The reality is he's not here right now," the manager said. "He's doing a really nice job developing in the minor-league system. I know the season's coming to an end and everybody's wondering about where he's going to be. Again, those are things I'll deal with once I cross that bridge.

"I know the fans are very anxious to see a lot of the young men that are prospects within the system, having them get here, rightfully so. But I think the longterm health of the organization will be determined by us as a whole organization and we'll continue to move forward."