Yoan Moncada Leaves International Game With Injury

Former White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada was forced to leave an international game early due to an apparent hand injury.  

Moncada is participating in the World Baseball Confederation Premier 12 contest in Taipei for team Cuba. On Thursday he left Cuba’s game against Korea early after being struck in the hand with a pitch in the 5th inning.  After leaving the game Moncada developed “substantial swelling” on his right hand, according to MLB insider Francys Romero. 

He is considered doubtful for the rest of the tournament, however X-rays revealed his hand was not fractured. His participation in international play was part of his offseason plan to showcase his ability to other clubs. Several teams have reportedly expressed interest in signing him. However, his health will be an important factor in how much he is able to make in free agency. 

Unfortunately for White Sox fans, Moncada walking gingerly off the field after an injury is a familiar sight. 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.