Eloy feeling good, ready to ‘put up numbers’
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Eloy Jiménez took just a few seconds to search out the fitting phrases, the fitting sentiment, when describing proper calf cramps taking him out of Monday’s recreation towards the D-backs.
“Better safe than sorry,” the White Sox designated hitter mentioned throughout his workforce’s 4-3 loss to the Royals on Wednesday afternoon at Camelback Ranch. “That’s all that happened.”
Jiménez, who performed for the Dominican Republic in the course of the World Baseball Classic, didn’t even really feel the ache till he was sitting within the dugout after operating out a gradual curler fielded in entrance of the plate. Manager Pedro Grifol instructed reporters on Tuesday morning the difficulty was nothing to fret about, and Jiménez already had finished his operating on a scheduled off-day following the Classic.
In two at-bats comprising Wednesday’s return, Jiménez struck out and grounded out to 3rd. He’s feeling good and able to see what his numbers will appear to be by staying wholesome sufficient to play an abundance of video games throughout the 162-game season.
“I don’t know. We are going to find out this year,” Jiménez mentioned. “I feel really good. I think I can put up numbers because everybody knows what happened in the past and I still am what I am supposed to be. I think it’s going to be good.”
Jiménez’s profession highs for house runs (31) and RBIs (79) each got here in his rookie season of 2019, when he performed 122 video games. His ‘20 season produced a Silver Slugger Award, although it was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. He hasn’t performed over 84 video games in every of the previous two seasons.
So, it was comprehensible why Jiménez erred on the facet of warning when feeling one thing uncommon on Monday.
“I have too many things in the past, so I was just like, ‘I don’t want to get sore later,’” Jiménez mentioned. “I really feel with all that occurred to me up to now, sure, I do know my physique.
“That was something that wasn’t bad. It was just better to be safe than sorry. I don’t feel any problems right now. I don’t feel anything. I was just worried a little bit, but now I’m really good.”
Martin prepared for what’s subsequent
Davis Martin acquired 5 ups throughout his begin towards the Royals, permitting 4 runs on 5 hits and one stroll over 4 1/3 innings to go together with 4 strikeouts. The right-hander is successfully the sixth starter, so he’s ready to interrupt camp with the workforce or start the season with Triple-A Charlotte, and fairly probably assist the White Sox because the marketing campaign progresses.
“Last year obviously helps a ton, kind of knowing you never really know what’s going to happen in a season,” Martin mentioned. “Just attempt to be the place my ft are, attempt to benefit from the daily and revel in being knowledgeable baseball participant, and all the things that comes with it, and actually diving into that five-day routine.
“Whether that’s going to be in Chicago or Charlotte or Columbus or Detroit, it doesn’t matter. Just diving into that and being prepared, and being ready, if they call for me. If I start up there, great, just continue to do what I do.”
Martin hit three Royals, however he merely was attempting to work inside.
“As a slider guy, I have to protect my slider, I have to protect it,” Martin mentioned. “So I have to move the fastball around and protect it. I think one kind of got away from me on a hit-by-pitch on the hand.”
A sinus an infection didn’t cease Mike Clevinger from getting 5 ups and permitting one run on three hits and one stroll over 5 innings throughout a 2-0 loss to the Rangers in split-squad motion on Wednesday.
Clevinger, who ought to begin the sequence finale in Houston to open the common season, struck out three and allowed three hits.
“It was just get out there, sweat the demons out and try to get the pitch count in. It worked well with sequencing. Just got to be more efficient,” Clevinger instructed reporters in Surprise, Ariz. “I just think I didn’t have an extra gear. I was an energy vampire today. I was just dead from a sinus infection.”
