White Sox hit pause button on Jimenez's rehab assignment
As Eloy Jimenez continues dealing with "normal leg soreness" after having surgery to repair a torn right hamstring tendon in late April, general manager Rick Hahn said the White Sox are hitting the pause button on his rehab assignment with Class AAA Charlotte.
Before Thursday afternoon's game against the Dodgers at Guaranteed Rate Field, Hahn said Jimenez will sit out for five days and restart his stay with Charlotte next week.
"You have surgery and you feel sort of a tear or a pulling, tugging, in the area of the repair, you freak out a little bit," Hahn said.
"It's understandable. I think it's going to take a little time for him to trust it, just like any guy coming back from any injury."
By taking a break on an assignment that began on May 28, Jimenez is obviously not going to be back with the Sox next week, which was the original hope.
Starting a new rehab cycle allows the left fielder to ease his way back to the major-league roster.
"He's got to get comfortable with this process and we're going to take a few days to sort of calm it down and reset this 20 days so we don't have to feel any pressure that, 'All right, you don't feel like your timing's there, but time's up, we need you in the lineup against Houston,'" Hahn said. "We don't believe this is going to be a long-term issue. I wouldn't call it a setback. It slowed us down. The hope was, when he originally went out on these 20 days, that we weren't going to use all 20 and that we possibly would have him back probably not this homestand but on the road trip next week (Detroit and Houston). Now that won't happen."
In 6 games with Charlotte, Jimenez is hitting .235/.316/.235 with no home runs or RBI.
Lynn update:
Manager Tony La Russa was in touch with Lance Lynn Thursday morning, the day after he made another rehab start for AAA Charlotte.
"Got a text that said he felt good," La Russa said. "He threw a lot of pitches (77) so he didn't finish the five innings, but he's optimistic that he'll join us. I think the thing now is to evaluate how he feels today and tomorrow before they make the final decision, but he was optimistic."
Aiming to pitch 5 innings at Louisville Wednesday, Lynn was pulled with the bases loaded and no outs in the fourth. The 35-year-old righty was charged with 7 runs on 8 hits and 1 walk in 3-plus innings.
In 3 starts with Charlotte, Lynn is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA.
"There has to be some quality pitches, or else he needs more work," La Russa said. "Whenever he gets the big-league assignment, it's not just being healthy. You have to be able to manipulate the ball."
Kimbrel watch:
Craig Kimbrel didn't get a chance to pitch against the White Sox during the Dodgers' three-game visit to Guaranteed Rate Field.
Before Tuesday night's series opener, Los Angeles placed Kimbrel on the paternity list.
Traded from the Sox to the Dodgers for outfielder AJ Pollock late in spring training, Kimbrell has struggled in the closer's role while going 0-2 with a 4.00 ERA and 11 saves.