The Charlotte Knights have likely seen the last of the Eloy Jiménez experience, at least for now.
The White Sox’ 2020 Silver Slugger left fielder joined the Knights this past week on a rehab assignment after tearing his left pectoral during spring training in March. Now, after a six-game sweep at the hands of the Gwinnett Stripers, the 26-year-old looks set to return to the Windy City.
Rest assured, Jiménez did not go gentle into that Queen City goodnight.
In the fifth inning of Sunday’s series-ending 13-12 loss to the Stripers, the Dominican slugger was part of a Knights trio that blasted home runs in an effort to save the Knights from the sweep. Though they came up short, Jiménez was able to prove that his injury hasn’t changed his elite hitting abilities, and that he can still be a crucial presence for the South Siders as they chase postseason glory.
TRIPLE-A EAST SOUTHEAST STANDINGS
|
Team |
W |
L |
GB |
Last 10 |
|
Durham |
44 |
20 |
– |
7-3 |
|
Nashville |
40 |
25 |
4.5 |
5-5 |
|
Jacksonville |
33 |
31 |
11 |
4-6 |
|
Gwinnett |
32 |
34 |
13 |
8-2 |
|
Memphis |
29 |
36 |
15.5 |
8-2 |
|
Charlotte |
25 |
39 |
19 |
2-8 |
|
Norfolk |
24 |
38 |
19 |
1-9 |
KNIGHTS-BULLS SERIES AT A GLANCE
The Knights have a tall order coming up this week: A six-game away stand against the nearby Durham Bulls — the best team in Triple-A East.
If you’re watching Charlotte baseball for the team’s sake, you may want to avert your eyes from this series. The Bulls have posted a gargantuan plus-144 run differential this season, creating a gap of almost 200 runs between them and the Knights, who are languishing at second-to-last in the division with a minus-52 run differential.
The Knights sit at 3-9 in the season series against Durham, most recently defeating them 1-0 in the Bull City on June 13. RHP Jimmy Lambert notched the win that day after throwing five scoreless innings with two hits and four strikeouts, so a solid performance from him this week could give the Knights an upset win.
While Charlotte is coming off a series sweep against the Stripers, Durham begins this series after a series win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, scoring fewer than six runs in only one of those games. If the Knights’ bats can’t stay consistently hot this week, it could get ugly.
Despite the difficulty of their opposition, though, there are still some prospects you should look out for.
WHITE SOX PROSPECTS TO WATCH THIS WEEK
Luís González, OF
Luís González has had an outstanding July.
The Mexican outfielder has slammed four home runs this month, most recently a two-run shot during the Knights’ Thursday loss to the Stripers. The next night, he made it on base in all four of his plate appearances, including two base hits and two walks.
Then, in Sunday’s loss, his successful bunt in the bottom of the third allowed him to score a run off a double from outfielder Blake Rutherford. Over the whole series, González went 7 for 16 at the plate with two home runs, four RBIs and seven base-on-balls walks.
Through 137 at-bats this season, González has gone .241 with seven home runs, 20 RBIs and 22 walks, as well as being among the team leaders in walks, on-base percentage and OPS. If anything is going to get González some big-league attention, it’ll be his ability to reach first.
Blake Rutherford, OF
Beyond the two-run double that drove González and catcher Yermín Mercedes home, outfielder Blake Rutherford has had some solid performances this past month. The night before that double, Rutherford hit an RBI base hit to give the Knights their last run of an 11-3 loss — the other two coming thanks to a two-run homer from Mercedes.
In Charlotte’s previous series against Jacksonville, Rutherford showcased his star potential, scoring a two-run homer to give the Knights their second win of the day in a Thursday doubleheader. In the series opener, he had an RBI double in the eighth and a game-saving catch in extra innings to lead the Knights to a 5-4 win.
Rutherford has been a prolific Knight this season, leading the team with 227 plate appearances. Over that span, he’s batted .233 with four homers and 32 RBIs. Though not the best hitter on the team, his ability to drive in runs and make defensive plays could be critical this week.
Deivy Grullón, C
Dominican catcher Deivy Grullón is a newcomer to the Knights, arriving in the Queen City after being traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the White Sox on July 15. At just 25 years old, he also has big-league experience, registering plate appearances for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Red Sox.
In his first game as a Knight, he proved his worth, sending a baseball 453 feet into the stands during the fifth inning of an 11-10 loss to Gwinnett. The next day, he did it all over again, notching another homer in the seventh inning of a 5-3 loss, before not playing the final two games of the series.
Standing 5-foot-11 and 240 pounds, Grullón’s body seems like it was built to turn on baseballs. He’s shown as much during the 2021 season, batting .209 with 10 home runs and 25 RBIs during his time with the Knights, Syracuse Mets and Durham Bulls. Look for him to keep blasting homers in Charlotte.
Jake Lamb, IF
Though Jiménez will likely depart for the majors again, the Knights do have another big leaguer in town for a rehab assignment, albeit probably not for long.
This past Friday, the Knights announced that White Sox infielder and 2017 All-Star Jake Lamb would be joining the team for a rehab assignment after a stint on the Sox’s 10-day injury list with a strained quadriceps. Starting with his first game in the Queen City on Friday, he has registered a hit in three straight games, including a 2-for-5 performance with a run and an RBI during Sunday’s loss.
Lamb could be a temporary boost for the Knights — having hit .224 with five home runs and 10 RBIs in MLB this season — but he’ll likely only be here a short time before returning to the South Side.