Toronto Blue Jays designate outfielder Eloy Jimenez for assignment

The Toronto Blue Jays have designated outfielder Eloy Jimenez for assignment following the return of George Springer from the 10-day injured list per Hazel Mae of Sportsnet.

Springer, who had been sidelined since April 12 after fracturing a bone in his left big toe on a foul ball, is now healthy enough to rejoin the lineup.

His activation effectively reverses the earlier move that brought Jiménez onto the roster in his place.

Used exclusively as a designated hitter, he did not appear in the field—continuing a recent pattern, as he logged just eight innings defensively in 2024 and none so far in 2025.

As a bat-first player, offensive production is essential, but that never materialized.

While his .290 batting average appears respectable at first glance, he failed to record an extra-base hit, resulting in a .290/.343/.290 slash line and an 82 wRC+, meaning he performed 18% below league average offensively.

Although that production came in a limited sample of 35 plate appearances, it reflects a broader decline.

Once a consistent power threat between 2019 and 2023, Jiménez has struggled in recent seasons.

In 2024, he hit just six home runs across 98 games, finishing with a .238/.289/.336 line and a 78 wRC+.

He spent all of last season in the minors, posting a combined .247/.326/.347 line at the Triple-A level with organizations affiliated with Tampa Bay and Toronto.

There was some renewed optimism this spring after Jiménez posted a .286/.333/.524 line in exhibition play and followed it with a .257/.372/.371 performance in 11 Triple-A games.

However, that momentum didn’t carry over to the majors.

With Springer back and expected to handle most of the designated hitter duties, there was little room left on the roster for Jiménez moving forward.

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