Yoan Moncada was one of two White Sox along with Jose Abreu to have played in all of the team’s first 40 games. He had been going hard since spring training — taking extra infield work as he transitioned to a new position and dedicating himself to improvement at the plate, work which actually began early in the offseason with a trip to Arizona — so the promise of a first off day was fuel.
“His motivation was a little bit of ‘Listen, you’re going to have a day [Tuesday] so I need you to be an animal tonight,’ is basically what I said,” manager Rick Renteria said before the Sox played the Indians Tuesday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field. “José (Rondón) knew he was going to play third today. These guys have been pushing and grinding and they have been fatigued a little bit with the run, so anything you can do to get them through it, gives José a chance to get out there and play third. It gives everybody an opportunity to play and be involved in this whole thing.”
Moncada’s animal act featured two home runs, his eighth and ninth of the season, as the 23-year-old continues a steppingstone season from a mixed bag of production as a 22-year-old to a budding star.
Through Monday’s 5-2 victory over the Indians, Moncada was batting .289/.349/.528 with 19 extra base hits and 25 RBI. He had been hitting .200 in May before going 3-for-4 Monday.
“I’ve just been feeling a little tired,” he said. “But it’s nothing. I’m just 23 years old. I can play. It’s nothing.”
The day off, with an off day Wednesday for the coveted two-day refresher, was welcome, especially with Indians righty Carlos Carrasco pitching. Moncada is 0-for-12 with 10 strikeouts lifetime against him. So it was quite a carrot from Renteria, with the Sox in the middle of a 33 games in 34 days stretch.
“He was telling me before the game, ‘Hey keep your energy up,’ ” Moncada said. “I did it. I just kept pushing myself.”
Moncada will need it to keep up his pace of 36 home runs, 36 doubles, 113 RBI and 118 runs scored.
“I’ve been learning a lot,” he said. “I know that especially at this level, you need to make adjustments very quick.
“I’ve been trying to put in play all the knowledge I’ve been getting just to get [over any] slumps … and try to keep performing at the level I know I can do. That’s all I’ve been trying to do. Trying to enjoy the game and have fun.”
Love for Abreu
General manager Rick Hahn may have had his strongest take on Abreu’s future as a Sox when he appeared on MLB Network Tuesday morning. Asked about the 32-year-old two-time All-Star first baseman’s future with the club after his six-year contract expires at the end of the season, Hahn talked up Abreu’s value on the field and in the clubhouse — as he always does.
“He’s been here throughout the early stages of this rebuild and certainly very likely he’ll be here in the more enjoyable stages that lie ahead of us,” Hahn said.
Hahn has been consistent saying talks of a new deal would likely occur after the season.
