The New York Yankees have expressed interest in former White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada, according to Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post.
The Yankees are trying to retool after losing to the Dodgers in the World Series last season and then losing Juan Soto in free agency to the Mets. Their third base depth chart already features Jazz Chisholm Jr, Oswaldo Cabrera, DJ LeMahieu, and Jorbit Vivas, making their interest in Moncada a bit surprising. Moncada can play second base but hasn’t played the position since 2018.
Moncada was participating in the Puerto Rican Winter League this winter in an effort to showcase his ability to other clubs. However, his season was cut short after he fouled a ball off his foot in December. While the injury wasn’t serious, Moncada’s agency wanted him to avoid any further injuries while seeking a new deal.
Moncada has had several injury scares this offseason. In November he participated in the World Baseball Confederation Premier 12 contest in Taipei for team Cuba. But he was forced to leave one of the games early after being struck in the hand with a pitch. After leaving the game Moncada developed “substantial swelling” on his right hand, according to MLB insider Francys Romero.
During his eight seasons on the South Side, he participated in just 62 percent of the team’s games. The 2024 season was the latest chapter in Moncada’s lengthy injury history. The 29-year-old missed 150 games in 2024, mostly due to an abductor strain suffered in early April. He then experienced lingering soreness during rehab which kept him on the IL even longer than anticipated.
This was a common theme throughout Moncada’s career. In 2020 he struggled with the aftereffects of COVID-19. He played in 52 of the 60 regular season games. During a game in Cleveland, he was seen in the dugout having trouble catching his breath after running the bases. His offensive production also took a noticeable dip from the year before.
In 2022 he missed time with a right oblique strain, strained right hamstring, and later a strained left hamstring. He still managed to play 104 games but his power numbers were down for a second straight season. Not having his lower body at full strength played a factor.
In 2023 Moncada carried a .857 OPS in April before landing on the IL. After returning from his first IL stint he struggled to keep his batting average above .200 and his power deteriorated. Across May, June, and July he hit just one home run all while his walk rate is down and his strikeout rate is up. After another back flare-up, Moncada went back to the IL on June 14th and did not return to action until July 24th.The White Sox front office declined his $25 million club option after Moncada slashed .254/.332/.425 with 93 home runs, 338 RBIs, and a 28.8 percent strikeout rate during his tenure in Chicago.
