Grading the Orioles' Eloy Jimenez trade with the White Sox

We're almost a week removed from the trade deadline and we've had a bit of time to process the extensive list of moves Mike Elias and the Orioles made. While we didn't get the blockbuster trade that many fans were hoping for, most of the moves made sense and the team looks strong heading into the season's final two months.

The rotation is expected to be better down the stretch with Zach Eflin and Trevor Rogers, and the bullpen got a bit stronger with the additions of Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto. Plus, with top prospects Jackson Holliday and Coby Mayo having joined the team in Baltimore, there's reason to think that this year's trade deadline was a success.

However, the one trade that sticks out as a bit odd is the addition of Eloy Jimenez. Elias acquired Jimenez from the White Sox on Tuesday, sending 26 year old post-hype reliever Trey McGough back to Chicago.

Taking a risk on Eloy Jimenez could pay off for Orioles

The idea behind it is give the O's another right-handed bat to work alongside the left-handed Ryan O'Hearn in the DH spot. As it stands, the Orioles have been playing the trio of Anthony Santander, Cedric Mullins, and Colton Cowser in the outfield since Heston Kjerstad's demotion, with O'Hearn getting limited time in the field. Santander is a switch hitter but the other three, including Kjerstad, are all lefties and the lineup would occasionally lack balance.

Jimenez won't get much time in the outfield either. Thanks to a variety of injuries, the 27 year old has reached 100 games played just twice in his career, maxing out at 122 back in 2019. He'd appeared in just 66 of 112 games with the White Sox prior to the trade, missing time with a hamstring injury earlier in the season.

Manager Brandon Hyde mentioned Jimenez's health in a quote on Thursday, telling reporters that Jimenez isn't 100% healthy and likely won't see time in the outfield moving forward.

If you were to venture online and read what fans have to say about Jimenez, you'd likely be a bit nervous about adding him to this roster. Many Chicagoans were happy to see him go, with even the Sox' TV crew bashing him in a live reaction to the trade.

However, there are some positive takeaways from the deal if you're willing to take an optimistic viewpoint.

For all his flaws, Jimenez still has a fair amount of potential. When he makes contact, he hits the ball extremely hard - Statcast has both his hard-hit rate and his average exit velocity in the top-10% leaguewide. He was also very good on a rate basis when he was healthy in 2022, dropping a .295/.358/.500 line with strong plate discipline and results on contact.

If you squint, you can see the makings of a potential impact bat here. He's got to stay healthy for any of it to matter but if the Orioles can find a way to limit his playing time to improve the chances of him staying on the field, this trade could end up being a win.

After all, the O's didn't give up much to acquire Jimenez and they even got the White Sox to pick up the majority of the $4.26 million left on his deal. The Sox will also pay a portion of his buyout after this year if the O's decline the contract option.

Overall, this trade is a B- at the outset. There's enough upside that the deal makes sense and the acquisition cost was low enough that if he fails, it becomes a wash. It wasn't the most exciting deal for the Orioles but on its face, it's not a bad move.