The White Sox were not lying when they said that Yoan Moncada’s role with the team would be limited during the final week of the season.
Since returning from injury Moncada has not seen the field in one of the last nine games since he was activated. This likely included his final home game in a White Sox uniform on Thursday. He has only received one plate appearance during this stretch when he appeared as a pinch hitter in extra innings against the Angels on September 18, and struck out.
Moncada is set to become a free agent after the White Sox declined his $25 million team option this offseason. After spending the majority of the season on the IL he is looking for a way to boost his stock. Unfortunately for Moncada, interim manager Grady Sizemore has already stated that Miguel Vargas and Bryan Ramos will be prioritized at third base. The goal is to give the 24-year-old Vargas and 22-year-old Ramos as much playing time as possible for the rest of the season.
According to 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine, Moncada says that he plans to play winter ball to showcase that he is healthy to the 29 other MLB teams. He added that he hopes to play for former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen in Venezuela. Guillen helped guide the Venezuelan team Tiburones de La Guaira to a Winter League championship last offseason and was the first Latino manager to win a World Series in the MLB. Guillen had previously said that he plans to manage again this winter and that he wants Moncada to come play for him. The two seem like a good pair to help try and boost Moncada’s value this offseason.
Moncada has delivered just one season of 20-plus home runs and has yet to drive in more than 79 RBIs. During his eight seasons in Chicago, he is slashing a pedestrian .254/.332/.425 with a 106 OPS+.
