Eloy Jiménez collects 2 hits in return for the Chicago White Sox – The Denver Post

Eloy Jiménez fouled a pitch off his left leg during a fifth-inning at-bat in Game 1 of a doubleheader last week against the New York Yankees.

Jiménez remained in the game, hitting the go-ahead two-run homer in his next at-bat.

“It was hurting but I had to do what I had to do,” he said before Wednesday’s game at Dodger Stadium.

Jiménez played Game 2 last week, but exited in the ninth inning with lower leg discomfort after running slowly to first while trying to beat out a double play. The throw to first was wild and Jiménez reached second, and he was checked on by the training staff before leaving the game.

“I started feeling it when I was moving around,” Jiménez said. “It wasn’t really bad. But as soon as I got cold — I was hitting, sitting down, hitting, sitting down — I started getting tighter and tighter and then it was hurting.

“It was something with my heel. I don’t know how to describe it. It was just sharp pain.”

He missed the next four games but returned Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Jiménez went 2-for-5 with one RBI, helping the Sox rally to beat the Dodgers 8-4.

He started the team’s comeback with a double leading off the eighth. Jake Burger followed with a two-run homer to tie the score at 4. The Sox scored another run in the inning to take the lead.

Jiménez drove in an insurance run with a single in the ninth.

“Eloy had a couple important hits,” manager Pedro Grifol said after the game.

Jiménez said before the game, “I feel good. I feel ready. Just keep working.”

“(He’s a) big bat in the middle of the order,” Grifol said Tuesday.

Jiménez is slashing .262/.318/.440 with six homers and 25 RBIs in 36 games during a season that was interrupted by an appendectomy in early May.

Jiménez said he tried to take as many swings as he could to try to maintain a rhythm.

“He’s getting back to playing quicker (from injuries) because of the work he did in the offseason,” Grifol said before Wednesday’s game. “He worked his (butt) off in the offseason. I’m hoping these (injuries) are just things that come up and he can put some of these behind him and just finish off the year strong.

“All I know is I’d like to see these guys healthy together so we can see if we can make a run with this thing.”

Jiménez was the designated hitter Wednesday.

Asked when he might be in right field again, Jiménez said, “It’s not my decision, but at least I’m in the lineup so something good.”

He’d like to get back to the outfield as soon as possible.

“I’m going to do it even if I can’t,” Jiménez said. “That’s part of my personality. Even when I can’t, I try to do my best to help the team.”

Jiménez has three homers and 10 RBIs in 10 games as the right fielder and three homers and 15 RBIs in 26 games as a designated hitter.

“I think he likes playing the outfield,” Grifol said. “It just keeps him in the game, takes his mind away from hitting and dissecting every little thing and mechanically and all that stuff. DH, you learn how to do it. And it takes a little bit of time. You can overthink yourself.

“We have to all put our heads together and decide when that’s the right time to do (to go back to the outfield). We certainly don’t want to put him in harm’s way and get back on the (IL). But I certainly want him to play the outfield because when he does that, it allows us to get Burger in there (as a designated hitter) and get some of these other guys we want to get in. I’d like for him to play some outfield.”

Jiménez shifted from left field to right this season after the Sox signed Andrew Benintendi in December.

Jiménez said he feels “very comfortable” in right. He did find one issue, joking, “It’s really far from the (home) dugout to right field, but it’s OK.

“I need a scooter.”

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