Yoan Moncada is a polarizing figure. The talent’s always been there but he never really gets a chance to show it. Why? Because he has been continually injured. It seems he’s on the shelf more often than he plays. This hurts the Chicago White Sox. They need Moncada to be consistently healthy and consistently productive at the plate. Will 2024 finally be the year that Yoan Moncada stays healthy and finally does something positive for the White Sox?
2024 Could Be Yoan Moncada’s Year
Last season wasn’t a great one for the third baseman. Moncada played in a total of 92 games, having 334 at-bats. His batting average was .260, his on-base percentage was .305 and his slugging percentage was .425. He also had 87 hits, 40 runs batted in, and 11 home runs. Those stats aren’t impressive but we also realize that 92 games is not a full sample size. Moncada must play in more games this season.
He has had a lot of injury issues in his time with the Sox. If you look at the number of games played in his time with the White Sox, the highest number he reached in one season with the Sox was 149 in 2018. His lowest, in a non-COVID year, was 54 in 2017 to start his White Sox career. Granted, he’s had about three years in the now eight he’s been with the White Sox where he played a decent number of games, but the other years have all seen him struggle to remain in the lineup. That’s why this is going to be a very important year for Moncada.
The Spin
It’s possible that if Moncada cannot play a significant number of games this season, it could be his last year with the team. It would almost have to be. The White Sox cannot really get along with someone who’s there only part-time. Moncada needs to be playing 140 games or more to help solidify this lineup. And when he’s in there, he must be playing to the top of his potential. The White Sox can’t afford to have much, if any, mediocrity in their lineup. Although, they do have plenty of it.
You heard it here first, if Moncada can stay healthy for more than 140 games this year, he’s going to have an outstanding season. But if he ends up hurt, that will throw him off for the entire season and he will suffer at the plate.
Now, Moncada’s fielding ability doesn’t seem to suffer from his injury history. He seems to do well when he’s playing third base. It’s his play at the plate that suffers the most. Of course, if he’s not getting any at-bats because he’s injured, that’s a problem.
This likely isn’t going to be a good year for the Sox. But individual players can have good seasons despite that. Hopefully, Moncada is one of those guys who can have a great season and prove to management and Sox fans that he belongs in Chicago. If he can’t prove this, he is likely heading elsewhere, and his White Sox career will have left people scratching their heads as to why it went the way it did.
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