Moncada candid about uncertain future with Sox

SAN DIEGO -- Yoán Moncada didn’t play in the White Sox 3-2 10-inning loss vs. the Padres Friday night at Petco Park, during which Garrett Crochet fanned eight to reach 203 strikeouts and Chicago fell for the 118th time in this miserable 2024 campaign.

Those 118 losses mark the third-highest single-season total, behind only the ‘62 Mets at 120 and the ‘03 Tigers at 119.

The switch-hitting veteran served as a pinch-runner and struck out in his one plate appearance since rejoining the White Sox on Sept. 16 after 20 days on an injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte.

It’s a nondescript way for Moncada’s eight seasons with the White Sox to come to a close. It’s a strange ending, as the third baseman admitted through interpreter Billy Russo during a pregame interview with MLB.com Friday.

“Yes, in reality, yes. That’s something I can’t control. That’s not my decision,” Moncada said. “When I came back, I was thinking that it would be the same as before.

“Coming back from injury, and go start playing. But once I got here, nobody told me anything of how they would use me or what my role would be. I’m still trying to figure that out.”

Moncada, 29, is one example of the hopes of grandeur stemming from the last White Sox rebuild, followed by the crushing disappointment leading to the current rebuild. There were great moments for Moncada, as evidenced by a breakout season 2019 and strong campaigns in ‘21 and ‘23.

This season featured an 11-for-39 start before Moncada suffered a left adductor strain in a game at Cleveland on April 9. Injuries marred his overall run and, at times, masked his talent, leaving the White Sox all but certain to use their $5 million buyout instead of picking up his $25 million club option for ‘25.

“It has been a good career with ups and downs. The cons are the injuries,” Moncada said. “That definitely affected me and affected my ability to display all I could do.

“I’ve done it when I’ve been healthy. I wouldn’t say it has been bad. I have a good career here. It could have been better for sure.”

Crochet’s career hasn’t run quite as deep as Moncada’s, with parts of three years as a reliever prior to his first foray as a starter. The second-half limits continued against the Padres, as Crochet threw 52 pitches over four scoreless, but he dominated a playoff-caliber lineup.

Jake Cronenworth’s single just over the outstretched attempt of third baseman Bryan Ramos was the lone batter to reach vs. Crochet. In 142 innings this season, he has fanned 203 against 32 walks.

“I felt really good,” said Crochet. “It’s definitely been a while since I’ve thrown the ball like that. I felt like I had all five pitches going there, so I was able to kind of do what I wanted in most counts.”

There’s some question as to whether Crochet will be part of the White Sox in ‘25 and beyond. The team holds two years of arbitration control on their ace, but general manager Chris Getz has also made clear nobody is untouchable on his roster. Crochet emerges as their top trade chip if the White Sox won’t be competitive in the next two seasons.

Moncada’s future has pretty much been decided, which is why he’s not playing now and might not play much over the final eight games. Focus remains on Ramos and Miguel Vargas at third base, who are both part of the White Sox future.

Interim manager Grady Sizemore understands the situation is not easy for Moncada, but it does not indicate him as a player.

“Adding a third guy makes it even harder,” said Sizemore, hours before Lenyn Sosa tied Friday’s game with a two-out, two-strike homer in the ninth. “I should probably still be talking about him more about what the plan is. But at the same time, we have to kind of see what these guys have.

“We have limited games left to really evaluate them. Just the fact that it’s so late in the year and where we are at, it just doesn’t really make sense to prioritize him over some of these younger guys.”

In Moncada's estimation, being with the team and not playing is tougher than being away from the team.

“If I would know this would be like this, I probably would prefer to just stay in Triple-A and be playing because that’s what I want to do,” Moncada said. “I want to play.”