Are the Rays the last opportunity of Eloy Jiménez to settle in MLB?

Known for its ability to hit, but also for being prone to injuries, the Dominican seeks to have a solid spring next to Tampa Bay.

Eloy Jiménez It was one of those players who came to Major Leagues With the label not to fail. Chicago White Sox He gave him a contractual extension without even having stepped on a stadium in MLB And the expectation was that it be the face of a young nucleus that would take the combined to a new competitive stage.

In principle, things went well for Jiménez, who was fourth in the vote to the prize of Rookie of the year of the American League In 2019 and won an award Silver bat In 2020, establishing early that was a high -level offensive force in the league. However, things were quick to Jiménezwho saw his participation in each season to reduce considerably due to multiple injuries, lost his physical condition and despite working to recover it, things did not go well, especially in 2024.

Jiménez It was changed from White Sox to Baltimore Orioles And he had the worst year in terms of offensive performance of his career in MLBto the point that the team decided not to take the team option for one more season, making the Dominican a free agent. It is when, seeing the perfect opportunity and a commitment to improve, Tampa Bay Rays offered him a minor league contract with invitation to spring training to Jiménez.

The question becomes evident, Is this the last opportunity of the Dominican to establish himself in Major Leagues? The answer is complex.

Despite his health problems, it is unquestionable that when he has been healthy, Eloy Jiménez has been able to hit in Major Leaguesprobably the most important tool that an athlete needs to establish. Not counting 2024, Jiménez hit .275 with PAHOs of .811, 89 homers and 275 towed next to White Soxobtaining a 5.6 War in 436 games. Last year those numbers were extremely beaten by an average bat of .238 with .626 in 98 games.

So, ignoring this last year, the offensive performance of Jiménez It is unquestionable. Your problem is the other game variables.

In 6 years, he has only been able to act 534 of 870 matches for health reasons. Defensively, it has been a disastrous gardener, which in 250 has a DRS (saved defensive races) of -18, that is to say that his defense has cost 18 races to his organization, so, at the time, White Sox decided to convert it In a full -time batter. In the last three years, Eloy Jiménez He has only played 81 games as a defender.

However, Tampa Bay presents one for Jiménez And it is that the equipment is urged by offensive production, while it has a defensive nucleus that the work can do. That implies that the Dominican can focus all his effort to make his best to be healthy and next to his game.

#Rays B. Lowe and Eloy Jiménez Taking Batting Practice on 1st Day of Full Squad Workouts. pic.twitter.com/q4kvvidhw5

– Marc Topkin (@tbtimes_rays) February 17, 2025

Regarding that, the leader Kevin Cash He said he had a productive meeting with Jiménez When he was in the Dominican Republic at the beginning of the year and pointed out that he saw him in a great physical form, which has been found with the images of the first days of the player’s training.

“I know he worked hard. It has reached very, very motivated training. It is a guy who has shown that he can hit, he really beats. In the past, he has dealt with some injuries, especially in the lower part of his body, but he is healthy now”; The leader said according to Marc Topkin of Tampa Bay Times.

So if this is the last chance of Jiménez to settle in MLBeverything will begin with the health factor and later, if it can still hit and what happened last year was simply a year below what it has been showing.