After what seems like an eternity on the injured list, Yoan Moncada was finally activated and will return against the Chicago Cubs tonight.
They have also optioned catcher Carlos Perez and returned Bryan Shaw back to AAA after they designated him for assignment the other day.
It will be good to see Moncada back, as if he is healthy, he is a very good player. Now, the question is he truly fully healthy?
Will He Be Fully Healed?
The main problem with Moncada has been the fact that he can't stay healthy. Even when he isn't on the injured list, he never seems to be fully recovered from the injury that put him on the list. But, this time might be different.
While there were varying reports on how severe his back injury was, Moncada spent a good chunk of time on the IL and had a good amount of rehab games. Hopefully they know that back issues can linger and they purposely took their time with the healing process.
He did look good in his rehab games, as you can tell he looks healthy in these clips.
Getting a fully healthy Moncada has lost some importance, as we are too far out of the race for him to make any impact. But, with a large sum of money owed to him next year, he could be playing to stay on the team next year, or for a team to take him and his contract in the offseason.
Moncada plays good defense and when is heathy can be very good with the bat. The second part is few and far between, but we have seen it this year. I am a big fan of Moncada and I know he can be a great player when he is healthy. Hopefully this longer IL stint fully healed him.
But now that Moncada is back, it now complicates things with Jake Burger at third base.
What Does This Mean For Jake Burger?
Jake Burger has earned a spot to play every single day. He has been a legit power threat and he has even played third base well. But will he stick at third with Moncada back? That remains to be seen.
It seems manager Pedro Grifol has thought this through, as with the lineup in tonights game, it seems that they have put Jake Burger at second base.
Now will this be an everyday thing? That remains to be seen. But, Burger is a good enough athlete where he could handle second base. The one thing he will have to get used are double plays and transfers, as that can be a tough thing to pick up if you are not a middle infielder.
Regardless, I do like the creativity to get Burger in the lineup everyday, as he deserves to be there. He is also getting more experience with every at-bat, as he has only about a year in the league.
I wonder what Grifol will do with Zach Remillard now, as he has also played well. Perhaps he will get more playing time after the deadline, as some spots might open up. But for now, it seems he will be a bench player and a late inning defensive replacement.
