Outfielder Eloy Jimenez left Sunday’s game with an injury. | AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Nam Y. Huh/AP Photos
White Sox designated hitter Eloy Jimenez pulled up lame as he ran to first base on a groundout in the bottom of the sixth inning in Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Tigers. Outfielder Gavin Sheets replaced Jimenez
Postgame, manager Pedro Grifol said the team will wait and see how Jimenez feels tomorrow, and they’re prepared to make a move if needed.
Jimenez, who has dealt with injury troubles in the past, said in spring training it was a goal for him, third baseman Yoan Moncada, and outfielder Luis Robert Jr. to play 150 games each.
The injury to Jimenez overshadowed a solid start from starter Erick Fedde.
The only thing the Sox could have asked for from Fedde is length. The right-hander went 4 ⅔ innings, throwing seven strikeouts, allowing two runs and one walk in Sunday’s game.
Fedde said he was frustrated with being unable to go deeper for his teammates. He acknowledged that many of his counts, turning from 1-2 to 3-2 counts, contributed to his early exit.
“I don’t want guys coming in here thinking it’s a five and dive type of game,” Grifol said. “That’s not what we’re looking for. On the way out, he [Fedde] said I wish I could get those two pitches back, and my answer to him is you pitched a hell of a ballgame. Let’s build from here and keep going.”
But with his pitch count rising (96 pitches) and the heart of the Tigers’ lineup coming up, it was logical to take Fedde out. The sinker was working today for him, generating four swings-and-misses.
Fedde allowed both solo home runs off his sweeper. He said he wants to work on landing his sweeper and working more efficiently when he’s ahead in the count.
Sunday was the first game back in the majors for Fedde after spending the 2023 season in the Korean Baseball Organization.
“When you’re coming off a year where you throw 180-something innings and win MVP, you’re always going to feel like you can go more,” Grifol said of Fedde. “The mindset I want from our starters is to come in here and start the game and want to close the game. That’s the mindset you’ve got to have if you’re going to be a really elite starter, and he’s got that mindset.”
Fedde was tentative in his approach, knowing the quality of major-league hitters.
“I try not to think too much about the difference and just execute my pitches, but overall, I was maybe shying away from contact more than I should have,” Fedde said. “I just kept pulling my sweeper over the left side to the point where it wasn’t competitive today.”
Though the outing was short, Fedde and the bullpen kept the Sox in the game. Michael Kopech came in and struck out three in his 1 2/3 innings. Kopech did a solid job of finding the strike zone and letting his stuff play.
“In the past, his downfall was not being competitive in the zone,” said catcher Korey Lee, who hit a solo homer in the third inning. “Now, he’s filling up the strike zone, letting guys work, and making them hit his pitches.”
The Sox lost three close against the Tigers as the Atlanta Braves roll into town on Monday.
“These are heartbreakers,” Grifol said. “Our defense, we had one miscue today, and we backed it up with good defense. [Dominic] Fletcher made a good throw. Good pitching, good defense, three one-run games that we’ve got to find a way to win.”