James Atama
The Los Angeles Angels signed former 25-home run hitter Yoan Moncada to a one-year, $5 million contract, as reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Moncada, a two-time former All-Star with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox, is looking to revitalize his career in 2025 after injuries limited him to just 40 at-bats in 2024. Over his nine-season MLB career, he has recorded 93 home runs, 339 RBIs, and a batting line of .254/.331/.424.
According to Francys Romero on Twitter/X, the Chicago Cubs had previously offered Moncada a one-year, $3 million deal before he chose to join the Angels. A switch-hitter, Moncada was a Top-10 prospect in MLB prior to the 2016 and 2017 seasons, rising through the Red Sox system. He played only eight games in Boston before being traded to the White Sox in the deal that sent Chris Sale to the Red Sox. Moncada’s first significant playing time came in 2018, where he led the American League in strikeouts with 217 while hitting .236 with 17 home runs.
In 2019, he showcased his potential by hitting .315 with 25 home runs and 79 RBIs over 132 games. However, the following year, his performance dipped to .225/.320/.385 during the shortened season. He rebounded somewhat in 2021, slashing .263/.375/.412, but injuries plagued him in the subsequent two seasons, as he played in 104 games in 2022 and just 92 in 2023. In total for those games, he hit 23 home runs with a slash line of .234/.288/.386. An adductor strain severely hampered his 2024 season, and by the time he returned in September, the White Sox were already planning for a future without him.
Ultimately, the White Sox opted for a $5 million buyout instead of exercising the $25 million option on his contract for 2025. Reflecting on his time in Chicago during a September interview, Moncada remarked, “It has been a good career with ups and downs. The cons are the injuries. That definitely affected me and my ability to display all I could do.” In Anaheim, he will reunite with former White Sox teammate Tim Anderson, who recently signed a minor league contract with the Angels that includes an invitation to spring training. Moncada will also compete with veteran Anthony Rendon for the third base position.
