CHICAGO -- Eloy Jiménez?has moved around Guaranteed Rate Field over the past few days like a healthy-looking player ready for White Sox action. His always upbeat personality remains front and center.

It wasn¡¯t too long ago, though, when the designated hitter/right fielder felt quite different as he went through an appendicitis?while the team was in Cincinnati from May 5-7.

¡°A couple weeks ago I thought I'm going to die, so I feel really good,¡± said Jim¨¦nez prior to Wednesday¡¯s contest with the Guardians. ¡°It was really, really bad, but now I'm feeling good.¡±

That issue for Jim¨¦nez began May 5 postgame but continued into the next morning when he started throwing up and his abs started to hurt. He couldn¡¯t lay down or stand up, so he was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati.

¡°It was really bad for a moment,¡± Jim¨¦nez said. "Appendicitis never crossed my mind. I thought it was something that I ate, something funny.

¡°As soon as we got to the doctor, they said right away it was appendicitis. At the beginning, I didn't even want to have surgery, but you know, health comes first before baseball. So it was tough, but now I'm here and I feel good.¡±

Jim¨¦nez¡¯s desire to avoid surgery for serious situation gives a small glimpse as to how much he wants to be on the field. The original timeline for his absence was listed by the White Sox as 4-6 weeks, but that return could be sooner.

In fact, Jim¨¦nez is hoping to play when the White Sox are in Detroit from May 25-28. That would be a three-week absence.

¡°I love that mentality, because part of the rehab is mental, just how fast do you want to go, want to push,¡± White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. ¡°At the end of the day, you can¡¯t break protocol.

¡°The mind is a really good thing when you¡¯re in rehab. It can take you many different directions. And the fact he¡¯s thinking of that, I love him thinking like that, I really do. I want him to push, and to the point where we have to back him off. And that¡¯s what he¡¯s doing right now. He wants to get back out there and be a part of this. I really like to hear that.¡±

When asked whether next weekend was possible for Jim¨¦nez, Grifol deferred to White Sox head athletic trainer James Kruk.

¡°I love the way he¡¯s working, and he¡¯s going to continue to do that,¡± Grifol said. ¡°He wants to be a part of this. He brings a lot of energy and obviously a good bat, too.¡±

Prior to the appendicitis, Jim¨¦nez had a .424/.472/.636 slash line during an eight-game hitting streak, with two home runs and eight RBIs. Jim¨¦nez also will have to be ready to play right field, which is something he clearly wants to do on a regular basis, as the White Sox don¡¯t want to lose Jake Burger¡¯s bat from the lineup.

Right now, Jim¨¦nez is running and playing catch and nothing more. With a Minor League rehab assignment possible, returning to the big leagues next week might be a tough goal to hit. But as bad as Jim¨¦nez felt on May 5-6, he¡¯s just glad it¡¯s a possibility.

¡°It was good to know I wasn't going to die,¡± Jim¨¦nez said. ¡°At the beginning, yes, I thought that it's over because it was super bad. I am thrilled that I can even talk. But it's good to find out you're still alive and you can go back to the field and play baseball.¡±