Yoan Moncada wants to make the White Sox front office look smart.
In the month of April, the 23-year-old third baseman did his share, batting .314/.374/.571 with six homers, seven doubles and 20 RBI and looking like the player the Sox believed they were getting when they traded perennial Cy Young candidate Chris Sale to the Red Sox for him and three other prospects — right-hander Michael Kopech, outfielder Luis Basabe and righty Victor Diaz.
Moncada, who batted .235/.315/.400 with 17 homers, 32 doubles and 61 RBI with a whopping 217 strikeouts in 2018, his first full season in the majors, was somewhat overshadowed in April by shortstop Tim Anderson, who looks like the favorite for AL Player of the Month honors. But it was Moncada and catcher James McCann who led the team in Baseball Reference wins above replacement (0.9), a fraction ahead of Anderson and Leury Garcia at 0.8.
“It was a very good month overall,” said Moncada, who also transitioned to third base after having played second base since the trade. “I did all the things I wanted to do and got good results.”
The numbers, he said, are sustainable.
“Honestly, yes,” he said, speaking through a translator. “I know I need to keep working to get good results. I can’t be satisfied with what I did. I have to keep working.”
The Red Sox have been satisfied with Sale, who helped them win the World Series in 2018. But he’s struggling with an 0-5 record and 6.30 ERA in 2019. Sale is scheduled to face his former team Friday in the second game of a four-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field. Reynaldo Lopez pitches in that one for the White Sox.
Kopech, the Sox’ fireballing No. 2 prospect behind Eloy Jimenez per MLB Pipeline, is recovering from Tommy John surgery and won’t be back till next season. Basabe is the organization’s No. 7 prospect.
Time will tell who “wins” the trade. Moncada will do what he can to tilt it in the White Sox’ favor.
“That’s what we want,” Moncada said. “That’s what we’re looking for. Hopefully we’re going to accomplish that, but that’s definitely our goal.”
Bor-ing?
Manager Rick Renteria and Anderson have different takes on how exciting baseball is.
“When I’m in the dugout in here, it’s kind of not boring,” Renteria said. “It moves pretty fast. When you are on television or up in the stands, it seems boring maybe to some people. I think it has its nuances that most baseball people understand.”
The topic came up when Anderson was asked if baseball needs to change.
“Yeah, I think it does, because the game is boring,” Anderson said Wednesday. “A lot of fans don’t watch, I’ll admit. So you try to do something to make these fans want to come back and make these kids want to come back to the ballpark. Yeah, I’m going to do whatever it takes to draw these fans to the South Side. I’m going to do something different every day. Whatever it is, it don’t matter.”
Anderson was also asked to elaborate on saying he “feels like today’s Jackie Robinson.”
“Just more so on the side of I’m trying to have fun and they don’t want me to have fun,” he said. “So I think it’s cool when you bring excitement to the game and you bring something different. I think I bring something different to the game, and that’s a lot of energy and a lot of excitement.”
This and that
Right-hander Evan Marshall’s contract was purchased from Class AAA Charlotte, and righty Thyago Vieira was optioned back to Charlotte three days after being called up. Vieira, who hasn’t appeared in a game, was sticking around, though, expected to be added as a 26th man before the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday against the Orioles.
Marshall, 29, was 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA, two saves and 13 strikeouts in nine relief appearances with Charlotte. He walked one batter and did not allow a homer. He has appeared in 101 games over parts of five major-league seasons with the Diamondbacks, Mariners and Indians, pitching to a 5.15 ERA.
*Lucas Giolito (hamstring) is expected to come off the disabled list and start Thursday against the Red Sox.
*The Sox have to name a starter for Sunday, which would have been Ivan Nova’s turn if not for the rainout Tuesday. Renteria said it could be a bullpen day. Dylan Covey, who threw six scoreless innings at Boston last June, has been pitching mostly in relief but got up and down five times (58 pitches) in his second to last outing at Charlotte.
