Pregame notes: Eloy Jiménez running at ‘between 75 and 83 percent’

Eloy Jiménez is not in the lineup Saturday, as another large outfielder who is currently relegated to first base or DH due to lower half issues will start instead: Gavin Sheets. Sheets's sore left heel might be ready to play the outfield again by Tuesday.

But as Pedro Grifol acknowledged Saturday, Jiménez's occasional ability to pop out an above-average run time when fully healthy, only makes it more apparent that he has not been at his full capabilities since being activated off the injured list.

"We measure all this stuff every day and he gets up there between 75 and 80 percent, between 75 and 83 percent," Grifol said. "The thing we are looking at is making sure that instead of doing that in short spurts--we measure it out by feet too, we have 90 feet and we have the measurements how long he gets up in those high percentages--and what we want him to do and what we need him to do is just to maintain that percentage for a longer period of time. But he feels good. At times [Jiménez's left hamstring] will grab a little bit. But for the most part, he feels pretty good."

Grifol's central reasoning for why Jiménez is activated despite not being at maximum capabilities, other than that he feels good enough to play, is something Jiménez himself as lamented before. Every injury resets him to zero in terms of timing, both at the plate and elsewhere, and the Sox are looking to expedite the process of getting the Jiménez they're banking on back to being productive.

"In past history, it’s taken him even when he’s come back, it’s taken him 10-to-12 days, 10-to-14 days, to really get into sync with everything," Grifol said. "You an go down there and try to get a rehab assignment and get it down there but it’s never the same as getting it here in the big leagues. The most important thing is if he feels good at the plate and he’s swinging the bat, he can really help us. There’s a timing and a rhythm to that as well. Right now, he’s in the process of working through all of that.

-- Without missed bats, ground balls nor walk prevention, there's not a ton in Jared Shuster's statistical profile that suggests his 3.18 ERA through 34 innings can be penciled for the second half. But as his three scoreless innings against the Braves offense Thursday can attest, something is keeping opponents from timing him up. Shuster's 33.8 percent hard-hit rate is the primary source of red on his Statcast page.

As a low-90s lefty, Shuster's best pitch his changeup, and he's cranked up his usage of it to near 30 percent in a White Sox uniform. Having converted to relief this season, Shuster acknowledges his mentality has switched to "gotta throw your best stuff all the time," and the changeup has been at the center of that.

"I didn't start throwing breaking stuff until I was a little older, so the changeup has always been something I've been throwing." Shuster said, nodding to an approach preached in some corners of youth baseball. "Throwing it for strikes earlier in the count for sure has been a big key for getting chases later in the count."

-- RIP to the legendary Orlando Cepeda. The Baby Bull has a White Sox connection that you could probably nail if allotted three guesses. He was part of Tony La Russa's coaching staff for the 1980 season.

FIRST PITCH: WHITE SOX VS. Rockies

TV: NBC Sports Chicago

Lineups: