Eloy Jiménez says goodbye to the White Sox, fans on social media originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago
Eloy Jiménez posted a farewell message to the organization and White Sox fans on Thursday after being traded to the Orioles just before the MLB trade deadline.
“I would like to thank God for giving me the opportunity to play for the White Sox,” Jiménez wrote on Instagram. “I want to thank everyone who believed in me, like the owner, the technical team and my teammates who supported me day after day. To the fans who showed love and support, you will always be in my heart.”
O White socks finalized a trade to send Jiménez, 27, to the Orioles, the team announced Tuesday. In return, the Orioles sent White Sox reliever Trey McGough.
General manager Chris Getz told the media that they felt the Orioles offered a great opportunity for Jiménez.
“I got a call from the Orioles this morning with interest in Eloy,” Getz said after Tuesday’s deadline. “I could tell there was sincere interest. We felt like it would be a good fit for Eloy to give him the opportunity to go there and have a chance to make the playoffs and run there. So everything lined up well and I felt like it was the right fit for he.”
The Sox traded Jiménez to the Orioles in the final year of his contract. He is set to earn $13 million this season from the six-year, $43 million contract he signed with the White Sox. Jiménez technically has two years of club options tied to his contract, according to Spotrac.
McGough, 26, was drafted by the Pirates in the 24th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He played in the Pirates’ minor league system until the Orioles selected him in the Rule 5 Draft in 2023. He played for the Orioles’ Double-A and Triple-A teams. He is holding a 2.08 ERA in 16 relief stints this season at Triple-A.
Although in return he will be a mid-tier minor league reliever, the White Sox should consider this trade a win.
Unfortunately, injuries were the headline story of Jiménez’s time with the White Sox. He has averaged 95 games per season over the past five seasons, not including the Covid-19 shortened 2020 season. Jiménez has played in 53% of possible games between 2021 and 2023.
MORE: A complete timeline of Eloy Jimenez’s horrific injury history
Once one of baseball’s top prospects, he has yet to reach his potential as a power hitter. He hit 31 home runs during his rookie season, which still stands as his career single-season record. His career batting is .469 with a career OPS of .790.
Jiménez is hitting .240 at the plate this season with five home runs and 18 RBIs. He was hit 47 times and was hit on 18 occasions. However, he played in 65 games, the fourth most in a season in his career.
This closes the book on the White Sox trade to send José Quintana to the Cubs. In return, the White Sox received Matt Rose, Bryant Flete, Dylan Cease and Jiménez, who are no longer with the South Side.
“He helped the White Sox, you know, he really helped,” Getz said. “There is a lot to be proud of, not only for the organization, but also for Eloy. I know the injuries got to him and didn’t allow him to go out there and be the player that maybe a lot of people thought he could become. he is still young. He’ll get a chance with the Baltimore Orioles and he’ll have a chance to play at a high level, but he’s accomplished a lot in a White Sox uniform.
