White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez underwent surgery Tuesday morning to repair a torn hamstring tendon behind his right knee. Jimenez, who suffered the injury running out a ground ball in Minnesota Saturday, is expected to miss six to eight weeks.
The hamstring strain involved a tendon that connected the hamstring to the back of his right knee, general manager Rick Hahn said Tuesday. It’s the same procedure catcher Yasmani Grandal had last season and Lance Lynn had this year.
“On the positive side of things we have some track record here and are still pretty confident in that six to eight week” return, Hahn said.
But “that can adjust as we go through his recovery and rehabilitation,” Hahn said.
The surgery was performed at Rush Oak Brook Surgery Center.
Hahn also said third baseman Yoan Moncada (oblique) could begin a minor league rehab stint at Triple A Charlotte this weekend and that Luis Robert (groin) will probably return to the lineup Wednesday.
Closer Liam Hendriks felt a back spasm during the Sox’ 6-4 loss to the Twins Sunday, and would seem to be doubtful Tuesday when the Sox open a three-game series against the Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field, although manager Tony La Russa wasn’t ruling out the possibility of Hendriks being available.
The Sox returned home from an 0-6 road trip through Cleveland and Minneapolis Sunday night, and Jimenez was further examined and evaluated Monday.
Jimenez joined eight players on the injured list: Right-handers Lynn (right knee), Ryan Burr (shoulder strain), Kelly (biceps nerve) and Jonathan Stiever (right lat surgery), left-hander Garrett Crochet (Tommy John surgery), Moncada (oblique) and outfielder Yermin Mercedes (broken hamate bone).
Right-hander Lucas Giolito (abdominal strain) and outfielder AJ Pollock (hamstring) returned from the IL Sunday and Friday, respectively. Robert (groin) and Josh Harrison (shoulder) did not play in the weekend series against the Twins.
NOTE: Right-hander Matt Foster was reinstated from family medical leave list, and outfielder Adam Haseley was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte before the game Tuesday.
*Right-handed reliever Joe Kelly will graduate from pitching in Arizona to Charlotte this week. Kelly signed a two-year, $17 million free-agent deal on March 14 but has ramped up slowly due to the nerve issue.
*Johnny Cueto is expected to make his second start for Charlotte Thursday.
