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Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa called Eloy Jiménez on Monday as word spread that the left fielder had been medically cleared to resume baseball activities.

“He was congratulating the guys on hanging in there, playing well and letting us know he’s excited about beginning the baseball activities and (said), ‘We’ll see you soon,’ ” La Russa said during a conference call Monday. “And I went, ‘Whoops. Soon? No, no. Patience, patience, patience. We’ve got a lot of season left.’

“But it’s great news.”

Jiménez is taking the next step in his rehab process, participating in baseball activities at the team’s complex in Glendale, Ariz.

No timetable is set for his return to the major-league team, the Sox said.

Jiménez has been out since rupturing his left pectoral tendon during a March 24 Cactus League game against the Oakland Athletics while attempting to rob Sean Murphy of a home run.

In an instant, the Sox had a big hole in the middle of their lineup.

Jiménez earned an American League Silver Slugger Award in 2020 after finishing second on the team in doubles (14), home runs (14), RBIs (41) and slugging percentage (.559).

While there has been speculation about possible options outside of the organization, the Sox have relied mostly on players from within to chip in.

And despite the injuries to Jiménez, center fielder Luis Robert and more recently second baseman Nick Madrigal, the Sox entered Monday 17 games above .500 for the first time since Sept. 6, 2010.

Seven players have started in left field, and two more have played at least one inning at the position.

Rookie Andrew Vaughn has made the most starts (43), including Monday’s opener of a highly anticipated series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Guaranteed Rate Field.

“It’s a team game, but you have to show up and do your part every day,” Vaughn said during a June 5 conference call. “Doing that and just showing up and being ready for the team, I think that’s the biggest thing.”

Vaughn entered Monday slashing .222/.303/.389 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 51 games, with big moments such as a game-tying home run against New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning May 23 at Yankee Stadium.

He hit another game-tying homer in the seventh inning June 8 against the Toronto Blue Jays, and he put the Sox ahead one inning later with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to deep center.

After that 6-1 win, La Russa said Vaughn was “solidifying, not just in his own mind but with his teammates, that he belongs here and we can count on him.”

Jake Lamb, like Vaughn a natural infielder, has the second-most starts in left. Leury García, Billy Hamilton, Nick Williams, Brian Goodwin and Adam Eaton also have started there at least once.

Of course, picking up the production hasn’t fallen just to the players at Jiménez’s position. Designated hitter Yermín Mercedes had a sizzling start to boost the offense. Even after cooling off, he’s slashing .290/.348/.438 with seven home runs and 34 RBIs.

The Sox said this phase of Jiménez’s rehab process is estimated to take at least four weeks, and it’s possible he could be cleared after that for a rehab assignment with a minor-league affiliate.

“Here it is, we’re in the middle of June and he’s actually starting some baseball activities,” La Russa said. “Just take one piece of great news at a time and not go too much further with it because I think the worst thing is for him to get a vibe that we’re all, ‘Hey, come on next week, next series, will he will be here before the All-Star break?’ We don’t want to do that to him.”

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