In an expected move, the Yoán Moncada era in Chicago has officially come to an end. Francys Romero reported earlier today that the White Sox did not exercise Moncada’s $25 million team option for the 2025 season. Instead, they will part ways with the 29-year-old infielder and pay him a $5 million buyout. Moncada is now a free agent and will no longer be part of the organization’s plans. This decision marks a clean slate for both parties.
Moncada’s Disappointing White Sox Career
Acquired in the Chris Sale trade in December 2016, Moncada represented high hopes for the future of the White Sox organization. He was the #1 prospect in baseball then and looked to be the centerpiece of brighter days on the south side.
Unfortunately, his White Sox career never panned out as fans would have liked. While he did have a couple of productive seasons in Chicago, particularly his 2019 season in which he hit 25 home runs, accumulated 5.2 fWAR, and was 40% better than the league average hitter, inconsistent performance on the field symbolized his White Sox tenure. Injuries were also a significant part of his story. Moncada only played 140 or more games in a season twice during his eight-year White Sox career. He had just two seasons in which he could be considered a significantly above-average player. His numbers in Chicago ended up not being anywhere close to the initial superstar expectations fans had of him.
Obvious Decision To Part Ways
The decision to part ways with Moncada was obvious and the writing was on the wall for some time. He only played in 12 games this past season because of injury. Once he returned, then interim manager Grady Sizemore prioritized the playing time of younger infielders like Bryan Ramos and Miguel Vargas over him. Declining Moncada’s team option for 2025 also saved the team $20 million for next year. It was a no-brainer decision, considering his injury history and inconsistent performance. The team freed up a significant amount of money and playing time by declining his option.
Moncada’s Uncertain Future
Moncada’s future is now up in the air. He is still just 29 years old and has shown that he can be a productive player in the past. Yet, he has played just 104 games combined over the past two seasons and is several years removed from his successful 2021 campaign. He will likely catch on somewhere else because of his former prospect pedigree and talent. A one-year prove-it deal could make sense for him, as it would give him a change of scenery and the opportunity to prove he is healthy and can still be a productive player.
Final Word
To say the Chris Sale trade did not work out for the White Sox would be a massive understatement. Within 24 hours, Michael Kopech won the World Series with the Dodgers and Yoán Moncada is gone. A trade like this shows that prospects are never guaranteed, regardless of how highly ranked they are. The White Sox front office should keep that in mind moving forward as the team enters yet another rebuilding period and youth movement.
