DETROIT — Designated hitter Eloy Jimenez returned to the White Sox’ lineup Sunday, coming off the 10-day injured list for a strained left hamstring after missing a month.
Jimenez had a single and scored the Sox’ first run in an 11-2 loss to the Tigers that dropped their record to 21-58. It was their 28th loss in their last 35 games.
Jimenez, batting third, wasn’t running at full speed on his single off the side wall in the seventh inning or when he continued around the bases on Gavin Sheets’ double and Nicky Lopez’s two-run single. After the game, he said some soreness had crept in. He said he wasn’t sore in recent days on his rehab assignment in Arizona.
Outfielder Oscar Colás was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte to make room on the active roster for Jimenez, who suffered the injury May 21 at Toronto. Jimenez was hitting .231/.288/.381 with five doubles, five home runs and 12 RBI in 26 games at the time.
‘‘He’s ready, and we’re welcoming him back with open arms,’’ manager Pedro Grifol said before the game.
‘‘Good to be back with the guys,’’ Jimenez said. ‘‘This season is not what we wanted, but we’re a major-league club and we need to compete.’’
Cannon shelled
Coming off three outings in which he allowed a combined one run in 14 innings, right-hander Jonathan Cannon was blitzed for eight runs (five earned) in one-plus innings. Matt Vierling led off with a triple, Colt Keith followed with a homer and the Tigers hit for a team cycle in the first. Akil Baddoo also homered.
‘‘Kind of bad all around,’’ Cannon said. ‘‘Missed my spots in the first inning, and they made me pay for it. Went out in the second and was unable to execute pitches.’’
Cannon faced 11 batters and gave up seven hits.
‘‘Just one of those days,’’ he said.
Colás just needs to play
Colas has batted .273/.368/.273 with no homers and four RBI in 13 games in two stints with the Sox this season. Grifol said Colas’ improvements at the plate, particularly in his two-strike approach, and in the outfield were noted.
When Colas has been optioned in the past, he was given a list of things to work on. This time, Grifol’s message was, ‘‘Go down there and continue what you’re doing, and your time will come.’’
It might come if and when veteran Tommy Pham is dealt before the deadline July 30.
Colas said the ball slipped out of his hand when he missed a cutoff man Friday, but he ‘‘did good up here,’’ Grifol said. ‘‘He made a lot of improvements. He just ran into a numbers game as far as playing. There’s no reason to keep him here if he’s not playing.’’
Luis Robert Jr. had a scheduled day off as the Sox manage his workload in the wake of his return from the IL with a hip flexor strain. Pham and Corey Julks played center field.
Rest for Robert
Center fielder Luis Robert Jr. had a scheduled day off as the Sox manage his workload in the wake of his return from the IL with a strained hip flexor. Pham and Corey Julks played center.
‘‘He’s got, like, seven [games] in a row now before having an off-day, with a DH in there somewhere,’’ Grifol said.
Moncada looking great
Grifol said third baseman Yoan Moncada (strained left adductor) is ‘‘running the bases really good’’ in Arizona and might be close to playing games there.
But Grifol said Moncada probably won’t return to the Sox until after the All-Star break, which is July 15-18.
“You’re not going to get traded if you’re under-performing,” Phan told the Sun-Times. “I’m not playing to the best of my capabilities.”
It’s not just the losing. It’s the way they’re losing. Missing the cutoff man, committing balks, blowing 5-1 leads on consecutive nights against the Cubs.
The right-hander turned in his second good start in three outings since being called up from Double-A Birmingham.
Players and their fathers are enjoying a ‘once-in-a-lifetime experience.’