White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez cleared for baseball activities

Eloy Jimenez

White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez has been cleared to return to baseball-related activities at the team's spring training complex in Arizona.

There is still no timetable on when Jimenez could return to the Sox, but it does seem as though he might be ahead of schedule. Jimenez ruptured his pectoral tendon the third week of March, requiring surgery, and it was estimated the left fielder would be out five to six months.

This next phase of Jimenez's recovery is estimated to last "at least four weeks." When this stage is done, Jimenez will be sent to an affiliate for a rehabilitation assignment. When that assignment comes, it's reasonable to believe Jimenez will be two weeks away from a return to the Sox.

So, optimistically, we could see him on the South Side of Chicago around the first of August -- about six weeks from now. If that best-case scenario occurs, Jimenez will have beaten the odds and returned in four and a half months.

That said, I'm going to urge caution here, because there is always a chance the exuberant Jimenez will overdo it, pushing himself too fast too quick. Hopefully, there will be no setbacks, but let's say I wouldn't be stunned if there were one.

Thing is, the Sox are 4.5 games ahead of the Cleveland Indians without Jimenez. It's possible they can win the AL Central without him. Not certain, but possible. However, I would say a healthy, effective Jimenez in the No. 5 spot in the batting order is very important -- if not essential -- for the Sox's hopes of winning a World Series championship in 2021.

From that perspective, it's very important that Jimenez stay patient with his rehab, play the long game and come back only when he's ready.

And here's to hoping when he does come back, Jimenez will recognize that he has one job: Hit the damn ball. He doesn't need to take heroic actions in left field, trying to rob home runs and whatnot. He's not capable of that anyway. He needs to stick to his strengths, which are all on the offensive side. We've seen Jimenez land on the injured list too many times because of his misadventures in left field.

In fact, I'm a proponent of a permanent shift to designated hitter when he comes back. I'm unsure whether the Sox agree, but that's my view of the situation.