Minor League Baseball

Veteran Outfielder Eloy Jiménez Changes Positions With Tampa Bay Rays' Triple-A Team

Eloy Jiménez played first base for the Durham Bulls on Saturday, endearing himself to Tampa Bay Rays fans with a lighthearted reaction after he caught a pop fly.

Sam Connon

Port Charlotte, Florida, USA; Tampa Bays Rays left fielder Eloy Jimenez (74) catches a line drive in the third inning against the Washington Nationals during spring training at Charlotte Sports Park.
Port Charlotte, Florida, USA; Tampa Bays Rays left fielder Eloy Jimenez (74) catches a line drive in the third inning against the Washington Nationals during spring training at Charlotte Sports Park. / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
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When Eloy Jiménez opted to stick around in the Tampa Bay Rays' farm system last month, he accepted the significant change in scenery that was presented to him.

The 28-year-old slugger has kept that mindset alive as a member of the Durham Bulls this season, trying things he never did with the Chicago White Sox or Baltimore Orioles.

Jiménez started at first base for Triple-A Durham on Saturday in the second game of their doubleheader against the Buffalo Bisons. An outfielder by trade and a designated hitter more often than not, Jiménez's appearance there marked the second of his 12-year professional career.

With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, Damiano Palmegiani sent a pop fly Jiménez's way. The veteran camped under it and made then catch before smiling and throwing his arms up in the air in celebration on his way back to the dugout.

Jiménez's first career appearance at first base came on April 5. He has now logged 17.0 innings at the position without making an error.

Through 13 Triple-A games this season, Jiménez is batting .240 with a .661 OPS. He hit .244 with a .694 OPS in spring training.

Jiménez finished fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2019, then won a Silver Slugger in 2020. He was a .275 hitter with an .811 career OPS in the big leagues through 2023, before he hit .238 with a .626 OPS between Chicago and Baltimore in 2024.

Should he prove himself capable at first, Jiménez could be on the shortlist of options that the Rays can turn to if any of their veteran hitters go down with injuries. For the time being, though, he will continue to set the stage for his career resurgence in the minors, suiting up for the Bulls wherever necessary.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer for “Minor League Baseball on SI’’ and other "On SI'' baseball sites. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for “UCLA on SI’’ and won awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for “New England Patriots on SI’’ and was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Follow Sam on Twitter @SamConnon.

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