Eloy Jimenez of Chicago White Sox draws ire of MLB Twitter for botched timeout attempt

Eloy Jimenez of the Chicago White Sox
Eloy Jimenez of the Chicago White Sox

There have been better days to be a Chicago White Sox fan. The team's struggles were summed up in a perfect way Sunday, when one of its hitters, Eloy Jimenez, struck out in one of the most pathetic ways possible.

Given the MLB's new pitch clock rules, hitters and pitchers have been exceedingly careful when it comes to timeouts. Under the current rules, if a pitcher is not ready to pitch within 15 seconds, a ball is called. Likewise, a strike will be called against any hitter who is not ready by the eight-second mark.

During the Chicago White Sox contest against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 9, Eloy Jimenez asked home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez for a time-out against Cardinals pitcher Steven Matz. Although Jimenez stepped out of the box, Marquez gave no indication that he had granted the timeout, and Jimenez was called out on strike three, despite being several feet away from the batter's box.

"Eloy Jimenez didn't get the timeout he requested, so strike three was called even though he was out of the batter's box for the pitch" - Talkin' Baseball

Judging from the reception given by baseball fans online, showings of sympathy for Jimenez are few and far between. According to MLB rules, a batter's (or pitcher's) timeout only begins if and after the umpire gives it the go-ahead.

The Chicago White Sox currently stand eight games back of the top spot in the AL Central, known as baseball's lighest division. Now trailing the St. Louis Cardinals by a score of 2-1 in the seventh inning, a loss would represent the third straight series defeat for the team.

With a .237 team batting average, the White Sox are one of the league's worst hitting teams. Eloy Jimenez, 26, has been one of the team's most solid hitters this season, laying claim to a .277/.320/.481 slashline alongside 12 home runs and 40 RBIs. Jimenez' success has been overshadowed by his droves of struggling teammates.

Chicago White Sox risk falling off the cliff of relevance

At the All-Star break, many Chicago White Sox fans wish that the team boasted a record better than the 38-53 ratio they currently own. Eight games behind the .506 Cleveland Guardians is not a good look for the team. While Jimenez' error could have happened to anyone, it is exactly what his team does not need right now.

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