30 pounds lighter, Jim¨¦nez driven at Rays camp: 'You guys are going to see'

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Eloy Jiménez doesn¡¯t mince words when talking about how frustrating last season was, nor can he hide how happy he is for a fresh start.

¡°Last year was a disaster,¡± he said Sunday morning, ¡°but this year is new.¡±

Jim¨¦nez looks like something of a new man this spring, too. The former White Sox slugger reported to Rays camp at Charlotte Sports Park with a fitter physique, having lost 25-30 pounds during the offseason, and a smile on his face as he begins his pursuit for a spot on the Rays¡¯ Opening Day roster.

The Rays signed Jim¨¦nez to a non-roster Minor League deal in December that will reportedly pay him $2 million if he makes the team. He said he jumped at the opportunity to sign with Tampa Bay and passed up other offers for a few reasons: the proximity to his family, the club¡¯s reputation for being competitive on the field and fun in the clubhouse, and the opportunity to re-establish himself after a rough season.

The injuries have piled up for Jim¨¦nez in recent years, as he has averaged 89 games per season since 2021 and played only 82 total games in the outfield during that time. He went on the injured list twice last season, first with a left adductor strain and again with a left hamstring strain, and his performance at the plate cratered. Between Chicago and Baltimore, he hit just .238/.289/.336 with six home runs and 23 RBIs in 98 games.

But Jim¨¦nez is only 28 years old, and he thinks he can get back to the hitter he was early in his career with the White Sox. He launched 31 homers as a rookie in 2019, won a Silver Slugger Award after posting an .891 OPS in 2020 and posted a 141 OPS+ in ¡®22.

¡°It¡¯s still there. I always believe in me,¡± Jim¨¦nez said Sunday. ¡°Last year was tough, but this is a new year and a new organization. ¡­ You guys are going to see.¡±

Jim¨¦nez took batting practice on the main field at Charlotte Sports Park on Sunday morning, joking around with new teammates like Yandy D¨ªaz and Junior Caminero. He said he had some familiarity with those two, Brandon Lowe and Christopher Morel, a friend dating back to their time in the Cubs¡¯ Minor League system.

The Rays already like what they¡¯ve seen from Jim¨¦nez physically. He said he incorporated more running into his offseason workouts -- ¡°Way more than I used to,¡± he said -- and feels like he¡¯s in good shape after dropping so much weight.

¡°I feel good. I feel really good. It¡¯s time to work. Time to do the real work,¡± he said. ¡°Just happy to be here, happy with the work that I put in this offseason, and let¡¯s see what happens.¡±

Jim¨¦nez will have to earn a spot on the roster, likely as a right-handed-hitting designated hitter or corner outfielder. Manager Kevin Cash said the Rays will look at him in the outfield and have him work at first base, a position he has never played.

¡°I know he worked hard. He's coming into camp really, really motivated,¡± Cash said. ¡°This is a guy that has shown a track record of hitting -- really hitting. He's dealt with some injuries, some lower-half injuries, in the past, but he's healthy now.¡±

Camp notes
? Ha-Seong Kim, rehabbing from right shoulder surgery, hit off a tee in the batting cage and took ground balls with the rest of Tampa Bay¡¯s infielders on Sunday. Cash said Kim was ¡°adamant¡± that he wanted to be as involved as possible with the team, even though he¡¯ll miss Opening Day to complete his rehab.

¡°He looked good. Moving really, really well. Even just the arm action flipping the ball in, he looked pretty comfortable,¡± Cash said. ¡°That¡¯s really encouraging that he is to the point where he can come out there and do a lot of the activities.¡±

? D¨ªaz reported a day early and joined the club¡¯s workout on Sunday. D¨ªaz and a handful of other hitters took batting practice on the main field at Charlotte Sports Park, hitting off a pitching machine firing higher-velocity fastballs and breaking balls.

? The Rays will hold their first official full-squad workout of the spring on Monday morning. Nearly everyone has already reported to camp, and the rest are expected to arrive in time for the workout.