The Angels are in settlement with third baseman Yoán Moncada on a one-year, $5MM deal, experiences Jon Heyman of The New York Put up. The deal is pending a bodily for the High quality Management Sports activities consumer. The Angels might want to create a 40-man roster spot as soon as the signing is finalized.
Moncada, 30 in Could, is in search of a rebound after a disappointing finish to his eight seasons with the White Sox. The previous prime prospect had an up-and-down tenure in Chicago. He earned down-ballot MVP help throughout his finest 12 months, a 2019 season during which he hit .315/.367/.548 with a career-high 25 dwelling runs. The Sox signed Moncada to a $70MM extension the next spring, believing he’d cemented himself as a core piece popping out of their rebuild.
That’s not how issues have performed out. Moncada slumped to a .225/.320/.385 exhibiting in 2020. That regarded like a short-season aberration the next 12 months, as he posted a powerful .263/.375/.412 slash throughout 144 video games. Moncada’s bat hit one other sharp decline thereafter. He mixed for a .234/.288/.386 line in practically 800 plate appearances over the following two seasons. His ultimate 12 months in Chicago was tanked by harm. Moncada suffered a major left adductor (groin) pressure two weeks into the 12 months. He was instantly dominated out for 3-6 months. Moncada didn’t return to the energetic roster till the center of September.
By that time, the White Sox had been enjoying out the string on the worst season in fashionable historical past. It was a foregone conclusion that they’d purchase Moncada out for $5MM as a substitute of a $25MM membership choice. The Sox had little motive to place him again within the lineup. He solely made one look as a pinch-runner within the ultimate two weeks. His season ended with 12 video games and 45 plate appearances.
Moncada is now three years faraway from his final robust season. At his finest, he has proven above-average energy and velocity with a affected person offensive method. Moncada took walks at a superb 13.6% clip again in 2021. He takes a number of referred to as strikes as nicely, so he has punched out in 29.2% of his profession plate appearances. He’s a .254/.331/.424 hitter in additional than 3100 main league plate appearances.
After enjoying second base throughout his first two seasons, Moncada kicked to 3rd base in 2019. He hasn’t performed anyplace apart from the new nook over the previous six years. That’ll very seemingly be his dwelling with the Halos. Normal supervisor Perry Minasian stated initially of the offseason that the Angels weren’t dedicated to giving that job again to Anthony Rendon. He’s seemingly headed to the bench as he enters the sixth season of his seven-year free agent deal. Luis Rengifo can take the vast majority of the enjoying time at second base, whereas the Halos acquired Jorge Soler to function their major designated hitter.
That is the Angels’ first transfer of consequence in months. They had been the league’s most energetic group within the offseason’s first few weeks. They pulled off the Soler commerce whereas signing Kyle Hendricks, Travis d’Arnaud and Yusei Kikuchi earlier than Thanksgiving. That they had not made a significant league free agent pickup since finalizing the Kikuchi deal. They’ve added a number of veteran infielders on minor league contracts, together with Moncada’s longtime Sox teammate Tim Anderson. With Zach Neto questionable for Opening Day following postseason shoulder surgical procedure, Anderson may compete with free agent signee Kevin Newman for the season-opening shortstop job. The Angels could have Moncada and Anderson on the left facet of their infield for a minimum of a number of weeks.
Moncada was additionally tied to the Blue Jays, Mariners and Cubs at factors this offseason. Francys Romero experiences that the Cubs made a one-year provide value round $3MM. Moncada declined and got here out $2MM forward with the Angels. (Chicago has signed Jon Berti to function a multi-positional infielder and is prone to flip third base over to prime prospect Matt Shaw.) This pushes the Angels payroll to roughly $193MM, as calculated by RosterResource. They’re at $210MM in luxurious tax commitments, just a little greater than $30MM beneath the bottom threshold.
Picture courtesy of USA At this time Sports activities.
