In final year of contract, can Moncada have big finish with White Sox?
One and done. That's Yoan Moncada, in a nutshell.
Barring a miracle, the injury-prone third baseman is going to play one more year for the White Sox and be on his way.
Most likely, Moncada will be remembered for having only one season where he lived up to his once enormous potential.
Moncada is in the final season of a five-year, $70 million contract. There is a $25 million club option for 2025, but the Sox are all but certain to go with a $5 million buyout.
Getting Moncada — who is making $24 million this season — off the books will give most White Sox fans a reason to celebrate.
A player with five-tool ability when he came over from Boston in the 2016 Chris Sale trade, Moncada put it all together in 2019, hitting .315/.367/.548 with 25 home runs, 79 RBI and 10 stolen bases.
Outside of that, it's been one injury after another and frequent lapses in the motivation and effort departments.
The White Sox are going to have very low expectations this season, as is Moncada.
“He’s a player that has a lot to prove,” general manager Chris Getz said. “You look at Yoan Moncada, when healthy, when he’s at his best, he can be a very productive offensive player.”
Last season, lower back inflammation twice landed Moncada, 28, on the injured list and he played only 92 games. The switch-hitter slashed .260/.305/.425 with 11 home runs and 40 RBI.
The back issue first flared up at the end of spring training and Moncada was on the IL April 11-May 11.
“Honestly, during the first half of last season, it was painful, stressful,” Moncada said through a translator. “I couldn’t do anything. I wanted to do stuff and help the team but I couldn’t. It was a really tough time for me. But once I started getting better and stronger, I felt good. That was why I was able to finish the way that I did.”
Over his last 43 games, Moncada slashed .316/.358/.553 with 12 doubles, 8 home runs and 24 RBI, raising his batting average from .214 to .260.
“I’m motivated and excited because I’m healthy,” said Moncada, who is 5-for-15 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI in 6 Cactus League games. “If I’m healthy, I know I can do a lot of good things on the field.”
If he's not healthy, the White Sox have veteran Mike Moustakas on the bench.
Signed to a minor-league contract in mid-February, the 35-year-old Moustakas played in 112 games with the Rockies and Angels last season and hit .247/.293/.392 with 12 homers and 48 RBI.
Over a 13-year career with Kansas City, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Colorado and the Angels, he's hit 215 home runs.
Top prospect Bryan Ramos is the Sox's third baseman of the future. In 81 combined games with Class AA Birmingham and high A Winston-Salem last season, Ramos slashed .264/.358/.450 with 15 homers and 50 RBI.