For White Sox fans, some storylines feel unfair.
Feb 19, 2026; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays infielder Eloy Jimenez (74) fields a ground ball during spring training at Bobby Mattick Training Center at Englebert Complex. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Eloy Jiménez — once viewed as a cornerstone of Chicago’s rebuild — is now trying to resurrect his career in a Blue Jays uniform. And early signs suggest he’s not just filling out a spring training roster.
He’s making noise.
Jiménez, 29, debuted with the White Sox in 2019 and immediately looked like a middle-of-the-order force. He launched 31 home runs as a rookie and posted an .828 OPS, flashing the raw power that made him one of baseball’s most intriguing young hitters.
Then came the injuries.
Since that rookie campaign, Jiménez has reached 100 games in a season just once. His availability — and eventually his production — steadily declined. By 2024, he carried an 84 OPS+ through 65 games before Chicago dealt him to Baltimore at the trade deadline for right-hander Trey McGough, who later retired before reaching the majors.
The trade symbolized the White Sox’s unraveling rebuild.
Jiménez struggled in Baltimore and entered free agency ahead of 2025 with limited leverage. A minor league deal with Tampa Bay followed, but injuries once again limited him to just 54 minor league games. He was released, eventually finishing the season in Toronto’s organization.
Now, he’s back with the Blue Jays on another minor league deal — slimmer, reportedly healthier, and determined.
Through his first three spring games, Jiménez is 5-for-8 with two doubles and a home run. It’s a tiny sample size, but the bat speed and authority are noticeable. The swing looks freer. The body looks lighter.
And that’s where it gets uncomfortable for Chicago.
The White Sox have officially turned the page on their failed rebuild, highlighted by the trade of Luis Robert Jr. earlier this winter. The promise of 2021 — a 93-win division title — never materialized into sustained success. Development stalled. Injuries mounted. Resources were misallocated.
Jiménez became one of the most visible examples of that disappointment.
In Toronto, though, he faces a steep climb. The Blue Jays’ outfield is crowded with George Springer, Daulton Varsho, Myles Straw, Nathan Lukes, Jesús Sánchez, and Davis Schneider all competing for roles. Jiménez’s defensive limitations don’t help his case.
But power always travels.
Even if he doesn’t crack Toronto’s Opening Day roster, a strong spring could serve as a showcase for another club. Every March, a handful of players without clear roster spots generate enough buzz to earn a late trade or a waiver claim.
For a rebuilding team seeking low-risk offensive upside, Jiménez might be intriguing again.
For White Sox fans, that possibility may reopen old wounds.
It’s too early to declare a comeback. Spring success doesn’t guarantee regular-season durability. But if Jiménez stays healthy — the biggest “if” of his career — he still has the raw ability to impact a lineup.
And if that impact happens somewhere else, it will only deepen the question that lingers in Chicago:
What could have been?
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