Baltimore Orioles Slugger Seen as ‘Value Bat’ if He Hits Free Agency

The Baltimore Orioles traded for this slugger and he’s hitting his way to a big contract if things work out his way.

Aug 4, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Eloy Jimenez (72) celebrates after hitting a RBI single during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. / David Dermer-USA TODAY Sports

When the Baltimore Orioles felt they needed another bat at the trade deadline, they turned to the Chicago White Sox slugger Eloy Jiménez.

Batting .240 with the moribund White Sox, the deal — which sent pitcher Trey McGough to Chicago — has paid off handsomely so far for the Orioles.

In his first 15 games with Baltimore, Jiménez slashed .357/.372/.452/.824 with four doubles and six RBI.

Now, the uptick in his numbers has him on The Athletic’s list of the Top 50 free agents of this offseason, as compiled by insider and former MLB general manager Jim Bowden.

Jiménez was ranked No. 41, but he has a hurdle to climb before he can test the market for the firs time.

When the White Sox traded him the Orioles inherited his club option, which is $16.5 million. If the Orioles don’t trigger the option then he’s owed a $3 million buyout.

Baltimore might find that more palatable given their overall organizational depth. Plus, the O’s have other free-agency priorities on their team. Pitcher Corbin Burnes and outfielder Anthony Santander are on the Top 10 on Bowden’s list.

Still, he sees a place for Jiménez’s services on the open market.

“… he’s still only 27 years old and has a career 115 OPS+ so (he) should generate interest as a value bat in free agency,” Bowden wrote.

The knock on him is that he has an injury history. He’s only played more than 100 games in a full season twice, including his rookie season in 2019. That year, his first with the White Sox, saw him take the American League by storm as he slashed .267/.315/.513/.828 with 31 home runs and 79 RBI. He finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting.

The following year, in the COVID-19 truncated 2020 season, he played in 55 games and slashed .296/.332/.559/.891 with 14 home runs and 41 RBI. He won the Silver Slugger award.

Since then, he has not reached 20 home runs in his last three full seasons, including last year in which he hit 18 home runs in 120 games.

For teams interested, Jiménez has split his time between DH and the outfield, with the bulk of his games in the field spent in left field.

The Chicago Cubs signed him as their top international free agent in 2013. Four seasons later he was part of a huge deal with the White Sox. The Cubs traded Jiménez, Dylan Cease, Matt Rose, and Bryant Flete to the White Sox for José Quintana.