The White Sox have had tough injury luck in the first two weeks of April, but received some good news Thursday — Eloy Jimenez and Josh Harrison are OK.
Jimenez, who left Wednesday night’s 6-4 victory over the Mariners two innings after he fouled a ball off his left ankle, suffered only a bruise and will be available to pinch-hit Thursday against the Mariners.
Harrison, who left the game in the seventh inning with back stiffness, still has soreness but “should play some time this weekend” against the Rays, Sox manager Tony La Russa said.
Jimenez, who had homered in his first at-bat against reigning Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray, said he was relieved to wake up without much discomfort after not being able to walk well after fouling the ball off his foot.
“It was good, because I’m tired of that,” said Jimenez, who missed the first 99 games of last season after rupturing a left pectoral muscle in spring training. “It got me pretty good.”
It was a relief to La Russa as well. The Sox already lost starting pitchers Lance Lynn (knee surgery) and Lucas Giolito (abdominal strain), reliever Garrett Crochet (Tommy John surgery), outfielder AJ Pollock (hamstring) and third baseman Yoan Moncada (oblique strain) in the last two weeks.
Lynn is out until at least mid-May. Giolito and Pollock are on the 10-day injured list and could return soon. Moncada could be back by the end of April or early May. Crochet is out for the season.
Jimenez figures to be a designated hitter when he returns, though La Russa pointed out that “he’s gotta run, even as a DH. Not going to push it.”
Andrew Vaughn, hitting .462 (6-for-13) in four games, will start in left field in place of Jimenez on Thursday. Leury Garcia started at second in place of Harrison, who was expected to get the day off anyway.
