KANSAS CITY -- Eloy Jiménez rejoined the White Sox prior to Monday night's series opener against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, being returned from his Minor League injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte and reinstated from the 60-day injured list.

Jiménez, 24, made his season debut at designated hitter, hitting fourth. He finished 0-for-4 in Chicago's 4-3 loss to the Royals.

If upbeat energy translates directly into offensive success, Jiménez should be the top force in the game for the 2021 season’s final two months and into the playoffs.

His Zoom started with Jiménez waving to the media and announcing his presence, which really was no different than his past joyous attitude. But after working his way back from surgery to repair a ruptured left pectoral tendon, Jiménez had noticeably extra pep in his step.

“I feel really excited to be back with the boys,” Jiménez said. “I don't know, I can't explain right now how I feel.

“They are happy to have me here, and I'm happy to be with them. Everybody here, they were excited to have me here, so I really appreciate it. I'm totally happy with being back with the boys.”

How happy was Jiménez? Maybe this quote from later in the interview will answer that question.

“Now I’m really, really, really, really, really, really, really excited,” a beaming Jiménez said. “In the past I don’t remember too many times I was like that.”

The only time Jiménez didn’t seem poised to jump through the Zoom and start hugging people was when he was asked about getting some starts at DH. Jiménez has expressed his disdain for DHing in the past, but he also hurt himself making an ill-advised leap for a Cactus League home run at Camelback Ranch while playing as hard as he always does.

Rookie Andrew Vaughn, who had three Cactus League appearances in left field before he took over to start the season, has handled that role admirably. But manager Tony La Russa seems to have a plan to get Jiménez involved at the plate and in the field, starting him at DH on Monday and Wednesday vs. the Royals but intending to play him in left Tuesday.

“Well, if he asks me, I’m here for my team,” Jiménez said. “Even if I don’t like it, I’m here to be for my team.”

“You take it a little bit at a time,” La Russa said. “We had a talk, and he said that. I said, ‘Well, you control your mind, and the days that you're DHing, you've just got to stay involved. Sit on the bench like you're playing left field. We’re going to try to see where you are, as far as your legs are concerned and everything else.’ You don't want any negative thoughts about it: 'When I DH, I'm not in the game.' Because that's going to affect your hitting. So scratch it."

White Sox fans don’t like to look at Jiménez as a Trade Deadline addition, and general manager Rick Hahn, executive vice president Ken Williams and the front office certainly are looking to make further moves. But there’s nobody to add via trade who will provide Jiménez’s impact.

Remember, center fielder Luis Robert, who has been out since May 2 with a torn right hip flexor, isn’t too far behind Jiménez in terms of a return. Robert is going through his injury rehab with High-A Winston-Salem.

Robert figures to be as excited as Jiménez when he returns to the White Sox. But he certainly won’t surpass Jiménez’s exuberant demeanor.

“Look at my face!” said Jiménez, smiling broadly and pointing to said smile.

Burger makes an impression
Third baseman Jake Burger was optioned to Charlotte to make room for Jiménez. Burger, who hadn’t played baseball in three seasons until 2021 due to a pair of ruptured left Achilles tendons and the COVID-19 pandemic, hit .263 with three doubles, one triple, one home run, three RBIs and five runs scored in 15 games with the White Sox.

“He’s ready to help contribute, but the more experience he gets, the more he’ll contribute,” La Russa said. “If we had to call him back up, we’d be optimistic that he could help us some. But his full potential needs more at-bats and more playing at third base and everything else in Triple-A.”

They said it
“He made a sensible decision to come back and continue his career. [With] his age and his talent and the success he’s had in the big leagues, he should be confident if he works [that] he can earn his way back to the big leagues. And we’re always going to be looking for help. … So I’d like to have his future. If he will just really work, gotta work, he should be back in the big leagues.” -- La Russa, on Yermín Mercedes’ return to Charlotte following a one-day retirement