Sox notebook: Jimenez can empathize with Anderson over high ankle sprain

If anyone around the White Sox understands Tim Anderson’s pain right now it’s Eloy Jimenez.

Jimenez suffered a high ankle sprain after attempting to climb the wall and rob a home run from the Tigers on April 26. Anderson suffered the same injury Tuesday after planting awkwardly while ranging to his left and making a throw to first base.

“I told Timmy just you are going to feel sore when you come back,” Jimenez said. “Just don’t worry. Keep playing hard because you are a good player. I don’t think it’s going to stop you.”

General manager Rick Hahn said this sort of injury typically results in a 4-6 week stay on the injured list, but Anderson could progress faster. Jimenez missed 21 games with his injury during a month-long stint on the injured list in April and May.

“Really it does hearken back to the experience with Eloy,” Hahn said. “When he came off the field, needing assistance, it seemed like that was going to be worse as well. These high ankle sprains are serious, and you’ve got to give them time. They’re a different injury, but it’s not dissimilar from an oblique, where you can’t rush. You’ve got to let it heal and then slowly start ramping up activity. So it’s going to take some time.”

But Jimenez said that Anderson can expect to be in some pain even after he returns.

“It wasn’t fun because I was playing with some soreness,” he said. “But now it’s good.”

Bummer shining

Rick Renteria made a case for reliever Aaron Bummer as a potential All-Star and future closer on Saturday.

Bummer is enjoying a breakout season in his third year in the majors. He owns a

1.95 ERA in 27 2/3 innings, striking out 28 and allowing just one home run.

“I think he’s just starting to get more and more confident trusting his stuff,” Renteria said. “I think in the past he put himself in some difficult situations and might not have been able to get out of them. Now he seems to be maturing and trusting and a little more confident.”

Bummer pitched the Sox out of a seventh-inning jam Friday by forcing Jorge Polanco to ground into a double play with the bases loaded.

Renteria said Bummer has emerged as “one of the better relievers in the game” with the stuff of a closer.

“He’s got good enough stuff to do that,” Renteria said of Bummer closing. “I think nobody would mistake that his stuff is light’s out. When he’s good he can dominate any hitter.”

Moncada returns

Yoan Moncada returned to the Sox lineup Saturday after exiting Wednesday’s game early and having the day off Friday.

Moncada was hit in the knee by an 81 mph slider from Chris Sale in the first inning and left the game a short time after being looked at by assistant trainer James Kruk.

“He’s a little sore,” Renteria said of Moncada. “The ball that ended up hitting him was in a pretty sensitive position. But he was feeling good as the day was progressing yesterday.”

Moncada singled in his first at-bat Saturday and went 1 for 4.