The White Sox have placed third baseman Yoan Moncada on the 10-day injured list due to a hamstring strain. An MRI revealed only a Grade 1 strain, though GM Rick Hahn told reporters (including Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times) that the infielder will miss around two weeks of action. The injury forced Moncada out of the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the Mets, after Moncada came up sore after fielding a grounder.
While not a major injury, it’s still unfortunate to see Moncada’s breakout season take a pause. Heralded as one of the game’s best prospects in recent years, Moncada has started to deliver on that potential in a big way this season, hitting .301/.358/.535 with 20 homers over 409 plate appearances. After recording a league-high 217 strikeouts in 2018, there’s still quite a bit of swing-and-miss in Moncada’s game, as evidenced by his 27.6% strikeout rate. When he does make contact, however, he is scorching the ball — Moncada ranks in the 92nd percentile of all players in hard-hit ball percentage, and in the 97% percentile in exit velocity.
After playing mostly as a second baseman in his first two MLB seasons, Moncada has played exclusively at third base this season, with somewhat improved defensive results depending on the metric. He posted below-average scores (-5 Defensive Runs Saved, -6.5 UZR/150) as a second baseman last year, but while his DRS has dropped to -6 this season, his glovework at the hot corner has seen his UZR/150 jump up to +5.2.
Acquired as the centerpiece of the prospect package the White Sox received from Boston in the Chris Sale trade, Moncada’s huge 2019 season (not to mention the big years for Tim Anderson and Lucas Giolito) represents a notable step forward in Chicago’s rebuilding project. We already saw the White Sox make a big play to jumpstart their process by trying to sign Manny Machado last offseason, and now armed with more evidence that their new core group can deliver at the MLB level, Chicago is a team to watch this coming winter.
A team to watch? Tell that to the five fans that show up every night to the ballpark
Why doesn’t Yoan attempt to steal more bases? That was huge part of his game before he got the Majors.
I’d imagine the multiple hamstring tweaks over the last 2 years has something to do with it – just not worth risking it.
Because he changed his approach when he got to the majors. At the lower minor levels he did yes, with little power output. He started to flip flop in AAA with the power emerging, and his SB% on attempts wasn’t great last year compared to the minors. Simply put, the defenses he faced in the lower minors rarely challenged his base running ability until he got to the majors. He still steals now, but only in certain situations.
He has been caught stealing 11 times in 33 attempts in his ML career. Moncada should hit 2nd or 3rd in the order and he shouldn’t try to steal many bases.
Which is why they said in the off-season…. pay attention.
or the 22k per they average…
Number of teams who have won less games than the sox who average more people per game?
Zero.
Number of teams who have won more games than them who average less per game?
Six.
But hey, I get why loser cub fans focus on attendance… I’m 42… number of times Sox finished last in their division in my life… 1… cub last place finish in that time 10…
Cub second to last finishes… 9… nine times… Sox 5… 4 of which were in the last 5 years in their first intentional rebuild….
Only two last place finishes and one 2nd to last were a part of their tear down rebuild… which mean 16 more are cause they were straight garbage…
So hey, i get while even tho they won the series you still play the stupid attendance card cause if you spend that much time suckin so hard and lying to yourself that tourists at your tourist trap beer garden means more than your record its hard to break the cycle of abuse…
Nice, good for the White Sox, finally making news today
You would be happy a young player is hurt, you’re trash.
I think that he was implying that the story is about an hour old and there are already six comments on the story. He was just saying the White Sox are relevant, contrary to popular belief.
Your brain is trash if that’s what you got from his comment.
Yeah ok, his comment is completely transparent. He is happy Moncada is hurt.
spoken like 17 year old cub fan.
*See Wilson Contreras lolilolollloolololol
One of the things us White Sox fans have to look forward to is when Robert and Madigral are brought up and play in the same line up as Moncada, Jiminez, Anderson and Abreu. The future looks bright on the offensive side but let’s hope the front office makes a huge either via trade or signing for an ace to lead that rotation of Giolitio, Lopez and Cease.
Gerritt Cole. You also misplaced the names of Kopech and (eventually) Rodon. They also have Dunning in the pipeline, who looked like a magnificent beast before TJ. I also dont think that Vaughn is too far away. I see him ending the year at AA, getting to AAA very early next year with a shot to play.
Kopech is going to be a starter or the closer in the future. That’s my opinion on him since it all depends if he develop a change up to become a starting pitcher in the MLB. Minus a change up, Kopech has lights out closer stuff where he can be like Chapman.
Also, I forgot to mention Vaughn eventually replacing Abreu at first base. I hope everyone is taking notice how the White Sox are pushing Robert and Madigral through the pipe line this season while Vaughn is the next one.
Lots of injuries this season. Reminds me of 2007.
I’m Not a Sox fan but Moncada’s growth was threat to see this year. He reminds me of a young Robbie Alomar. He’s growing more and more into a franchise caliber player. It’s good for a fan base that hasn’t had many teams to be envious of them but Moncada is turning into the player many scouts and GMs (and us arm chair GMs) originally envisioned. Get well Yoan, otherwise it’s more Ryan Goins time.
Ed Farmer impersonation “Yikes”.
Goins has been fantastic since being called up. He may not be an everyday starter, but he is definitely worthy of a backup utility role.
Not debating what you said by the depth at infield is really what concerns me if I’m a Sox fan. I know Madrigal and few others are going to come up eventually but they need more IF depth in my mind. Goins has been a nice story but he is Ryan Goins at the end of the day.
the sox have 16 mil on the books for next year… stop worrying… plenty of depth pieces can be added when the time is right…
Also I would have him get ABs rest of the year instead of Yolmer who has shown Sox fans nothing last two/three years. He’s a plugger until Madrigal comes up.
Mostly this year. Yolmer was a 2+ WAR player last year. He hasn’t been good in any of the areas he was last year.
Guys like Yolmer and Leury are streaky. They have some really good monents both offensively and defensively here and there. Decent off the bench and appear to be good team mates. Every team has and needs players like that. They also come and go throughout the years.
I watch most of their games and despite what the haters say and what their record shows, this team is shaping up to be really good. Injuries have set them back a little bit but that can happen to any team. Either way, they look better than they did last year. Hopefully some solid moves take place in the off season.
They need an ace. I do think Cole will be out of their price range, mainly due to his agent and Jerry doesn’t like his agent historically. I think a better option is to get a guy like Jon Gray and pry him out of Coors. He has legitimate stuff for an ace but is too inconsistent still.
If they are serious about contending in 2020 then they better not have a limit if they go after Cole. With their 2020 payroll so low and the embarrassment still lingering from last years failed Machado pursuit, not to mention the absolute need for an ace, the words “price range” shouldn’t even be uttered in negotiations for Cole.
Make him the highest paid pitcher and get it done quick. Set the market, don’t wait it out.
I agree that budget shouldn’t matter when your rebuilding and still have controllable cheap assets. I just don’t know if Cole would sacrifice years of his prime and at top of his game physically on a team that’s still building rather than actually signing with a team that is built to win now (Braves) (Phillies). That’s a question that probably is the deciding factor on Cole signing with a team this offseason.
Maybe team would be closer to winning now if Hahn would act like Braves and Padres and call up young guys when they are ready so they can develop faster in ML.
For one, Cole will grab 9 figured and, say, 6+ years.I would guess location doesn’t matter as much with long high dollar deals.
For two, we know JR at least has 250 mil (minus whatever the hell he gave to Jay and Alonso).
If the Astros win it all this year, which their odds are high right with the addition of Grienke, Cole will demand $30 to $32 million after this break out year. Cole can be a buyer’s remorse after coming off the World Series victory but he can be an investment for the White Sox young rotation if he misses out winning a World Series this season.
These players NEED to stop lifting weights!
They need to have Herm Schneider come out of retirement!
Cole is a west coast guy and no way he signs with CWS unless you massively over pay, I’d like to see them go after Jon Gray or Dakota Hudson by trading prospects. Untouchables: Robert, Kopech, Cease, Madrigal, Mieses and Adolfo. Assets: Vaughn, Walker, Basabe, Collins, Sheets and anyone else. SIgn Eaton to play RF and have the following line up in 2020 Eaton, Madrigal, Moncada, Abreu, Jimenez, Robert, Anderson, DH (Left over above Asset) and either McCann or the best veteran defensive/game calling catcher available.
Chicago is the best summer city in America… baseball is played from April to October… he has 5 months to live on the coast/arizona for camp… no free agent limits their market to 4 teams… 3 of which are not in position to give him a massive deal… unless the padres are suddenly a team willing to add 200 mil to the 280 manny is on the books for… which they could but a second one is big time for them…
It’s sensisble to spend and add quality veterans to a rebuild at the right time. However, this isn’t just any rebuild. Experts compare the Astros project as the only thing coming close.
So, we’re in a new world here. The story is, can the White Sox deliver their own rebuild or will they copy with a more conservative approach?