Yankees interested in 29-year-old ex-Red Sox 3B free agent: Reports
Yoan Moncada, a nine-year MLB veteran who previously played for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox at third base, is on the market. After the White Sox declined his team option earlier in November, he is hoping to land a big contract this season, and he has several teams reportedly interested in his services.
As per MLB reporter Francys Romero, more than five teams are looking to land him, including the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners.
Moncada, who has a high upside, only played 12 games in 2024, in large part due to a left adductor strain in April. However, he was activated on Sept. 16. The White Sox didn't give him much playing time and rather played their younger players during the final few months of the season.
The club had the option to pick his $25 million salary for 2025 but instead bought out the contract for $5 million and parted ways. Previously, he was signed by the White Sox to a five-year, $70 million extension due to his 2019 exploits, which saw him hitting .315/.367/.548 with 25 home runs and 79 RBIs in 132 games.
Yankees' interest in Yoan Moncada reflects his time with White Sox
The third baseman's eight-year tenure with the White Sox was mostly riddled with injuries, with only four seasons coming in where he played over 100 games.
After the White Sox played their series with the San Diego Padres on the road in September, Moncada opened up about his uncertainty about the future with the club as he looked back to his tenure.
“It has been a good career with ups and downs. The cons are the injuries,” Moncada said via MLB.com. “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," he added.
Now all that remains to be seen is if the interest soon converts down to a pen-and-paper deal as Yoan Moncada is ready to add another jersey to his cupboard.