Yoan Moncada is having the best month of his career.
In the final week of the regular season, Moncada, who is batting .444 in September, entered Tuesday’s game against the Indians at riding a 10-game hitting streak. He also had recorded seven consecutive multihit games, which is one game shy of tying the franchise record.
This week will cap off what has been a breakout season for the 24-year-old Cuban player, who was the top prospect in baseball a short time ago.
Moncada has made a total transformation from last season to now.
In 2018, Moncada hit .235 with 55 extra-base hits, including 17 home runs. But he was aggressive and sometimes reckless with his swing as he led the league with 217 strikeouts.
But this season, Moncada, who was moved to third base in spring training, has been more disciplined at the plate. As a result, he owns the third-best batting average in the American League (.316) — only two spots behind his teammate and major-league leader Tim Anderson.
Moncada is satisfied with his results this season, but he also wanted to make one thing clear: “It’s not a fluke.”
“Since the offseason, I’ve prepared to be better all around in my game this year, and I’ve been working hard for it,” Moncada said through an interpreter. “And I’m very satisfied with what I’ve done this season.”
But this is only the beginning, Moncada said.
“I still have room to improve in all the aspects of my games,” Moncada said. “But one area that I want to improve for next year is to be able to steal more bases. That was an aspect of my game that I couldn’t totally explore this year. But I’m going to work hard at that, at being more aggressive on the bases, especially stealing bases, next season.”
Manager Rick Renteria has lofty expectations for him next season.
“I do think that there is still more in that tank,” Renteria said. “In the long run ... he’s potentially a 30 homer guy, he’s potentially a guy who could steal you 20 to 30 bases, he has that type of speed.”
Only 41 players have hit at least 30 home runs and stolen at least 30 bases in a season. The last Chicago player to do it was the Cubs’ Sammy Sosa in 1995. As for the Sox, it’s never been done.
But Renteria believes Moncada could be the first.
“We’ve seen him grow from both sides of the plate and in general, his overall game is not done yet,” Renteria said. “I think he’s going to continue to get better.”
Next September, Moncada sees the the Sox playing high stake games.
“I am confident that we’re going to be competing next year for a spot in the playoffs,” he said. “Just because the time that we have, the improvement that we’ve been doing, and next year we’re going to keep improving. We’re going to be fighting for a spot in the playoffs because I truly believe that we’re going to be very good next year.”
And Moncada’s going to make sure this offseason that he’s prepared to be one of the players leading the charge for the Sox next season.
“I’m having the season that I’m having because I worked hard, and I still know that I can do more,” he said. “This season is just a big takeoff for me and a big motivation.”
