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On Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Angels played without one of their key sluggers, Yoan Moncada, who had a very important reason for his absence. Moncada was placed on MLB’s restricted list as he was taking his U.S. Citizenship test.
At 30 years old, Moncada hails from Cuba and made headlines when he signed with the Boston Red Sox as an international free agent, receiving a staggering signing bonus exceeding $31 million.
During the World Baseball Classic earlier this year, Moncada showcased his talent, hitting a solo home run for Team Cuba against Chinese Taipei in Taichung, Taiwan, on March 12, 2023.
Moncada quickly rose through the ranks of baseball after signing, becoming one of the sport’s top prospects as a switch-hitter. He made his MLB debut at just 21 years old, roughly 18 months after signing. However, after the 2016 season, the Red Sox made a surprising trade, sending Moncada, along with Michael Kopech and two other players, to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Chris Sale, a perennial Cy Young Award candidate.
Though Moncada has faced challenges in his career, including a league-high 217 strikeouts in 2018, he did have standout moments. In 2019, he recorded a .315 batting average and a .915 OPS, achieving a career-best 5.1 WAR. He followed up with a solid 4.1 WAR two years later.
Throughout his eight seasons with the White Sox, Moncada’s performance has fluctuated, mirroring the organization’s ups and downs. The White Sox clinched the AL Central title in 2021, but just three years later, they set a modern-era record for the most losses in a season, with Moncada appearing in only 12 games last year.
Despite the challenges, Moncada has remained proud of his Cuban heritage, representing Team Cuba in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he posted impressive stats of .435/.519/.739.
In his MLB career, Moncada has maintained a batting average of .252 with a .756 OPS. This season, he’s currently hitting .221 with a .436 slugging percentage.
As for his availability, it remains uncertain if Moncada will be back in the lineup for the Angels’ game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. However, he is expected to travel to Detroit for a three-game series with the Tigers this weekend.
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