Chicago White Sox pause Eloy Jiménez’s rehab assignment because of ‘normal leg soreness’

Chicago White Sox left fielder Eloy Jiménez — working his way back from a right hamstring tendon tear — is experiencing “normal leg soreness,” general manager Rick Hahn said Thursday.

“In order to knock it out of him, we are going to return him from the rehab assignment which essentially stops the 20-day clock,” Hahn said. “We are fairly confident that we will be able to put him back on a rehab assignment as soon as next week.”

Jiménez has been out since April 23, when he tore the hamstring tendon behind his right knee, requiring surgery. He began a rehab assignment May 28 with Triple-A Charlotte.

Hahn said the original 20-day minor-league rehab clock was set to expire next week.

“Doing this move allows us to remove any of the time pressure from the original 20-day clock,” Hahn said. “In terms of this normal leg soreness, as I would describe it, it is normal from the standpoint that both (pitcher) Lance (Lynn) and (catcher) Yasmani (Grandal) — who had similar procedures — experienced it as well. The difference was with both those players, they experienced it in Chicago as part of their ramp up. For whatever reason, as much as they pushed Eloy, he never really felt anything.

“Now on two groundouts he felt it running to first base. It caused some concern for him. There is a little inflammation that comes from this tugging experience of the … neo-tendon which is more or less scar tissue that does take a day or two to settle down. We don’t believe this is going to be a long term issue, but we are pulling him off the rehab assignment in order to stop the 20-day clock.”

Jiménez will be remaining in Charlotte, N.C., for treatment.

The original estimate for Jiménez’s timeline to return from the injury was six to eight weeks.

“I wouldn’t call it a setback,” Hahn said. “It slowed us down. The hope was when he originally went out on these 20 days, that we weren’t going to use all 20 and that we possibly would have him back, probably not this homestand, but on the road trip. Now that won’t happen.

“But it’s not a new injury. It’s not a re-aggravation. It’s part of the process. It’s part of the process that is slowing us down a little bit. It should not have any long term effect on him other than slowing his return to Chicago.”

Jiménez is slashing .235/.316/.235 in six games with Charlotte.

“Two days ago, or before this most recent grab, Eloy was saying he feels great,” Hahn said. “The only issue is his timing at the plate. This could be a matter of how much longer until he felt himself at the plate. Hopefully we get him back out there next week and it’s a matter of building up his rhythm.”

Jiménez has to be out five days and then the Sox can request a new 20 days. As far as how long Jiménez would need once he begins the rehab assignment again, Hahn said it “depends on when we restart.”

“If we restarted Tuesday at the start of the next series, then maybe we are talking a week or a week-plus,” Hahn said. “If for whatever reason we can’t restart him until next weekend, then maybe it’s a little more time given the added layoff from the plate appearances.

“But we feel pretty good that after a few days of treatment we should be able to get him back out there.”

Sox manager Tony La Russa provided an update on Lynn, who made his third rehab start Wednesday as he recovers from right knee surgery. Lynn allowed seven runs on nine hits in three innings at Louisville.

“Got a text that said he felt good,” La Russa said Thursday. “He threw a lot of pitches (77) so he didn’t finish the five innings, but he’s optimistic that he’ll join us. I think the thing now is to evaluate how he feels (Thursday) and (Friday) before they make the final decision, but he was optimistic.”