The White Sox want you to think things are changing at 35th and Shields. After signing Munetaka Murakami, it was starting to look like you could have faith that this organization was starting to turn the corner.
This is still the White Sox, an organization that is the epitome of one step forward, two steps back.
How this franchise potentially takes a step back is bringing back Yoán Moncada. International baseball specialist Francys Romero reported that the Pale Hose are interested in having Moncada return to the South Side.
Why this franchise wants to get hurt again is beyond me.
I have always considered Moncada to be the franchise’s third-biggest disappointment during the last decade’s rebuild. Eloy Jiménez ranks first, with his frequent injuries and loss of power after his rookie season in 2019. Andrew Vaughn is second, because he was the No. 3 overall draft pick whose greatness was supposed to justify the losing that led to the pick — all he did was put up sub-replacement level numbers rather than superstardom.
Moncada at least produced two seasons with a fWAR better than 3.0, with 5.2 in 2019 and 3.7 in 2021. The problem with Moncada’s eight-season tenure on the South Side was that those were his only two good seasons. Otherwise, he spent a lot of time on the injured list and was inconsistent at the plate.
There was always speculation that once Moncada signed his massive contract extension, he stopped putting in the work to take care of his body or improve his game.
That is why bringing him back to Chicago does not make sense, especially if the club wants to continue to change the clubhouse culture.
Moncada was part of some of the most dysfunctional clubhouses the White Sox ever had. He was never identified as one of the bad actors like Yasmani Grandal, but the speculated poor work ethic suggested that he was part of the clubhouse issues.
It does not make sense to bring Moncada back if general manager Chris Getz is trying to prove that the way the front office does business is changing. It is better to continue to move past the disappointment of the prior rebuild, yielding just two playoff victories and one AL Central title.
Moncada was supposed to be a part of a core that would produce a World Series victory parade. Instead, his inconsistency and lack of availability were among the numerous reasons this franchise decayed into its current, awful state.
The other reason it does not make sense to bring Moncada back is that the White Sox already have Miguel Vargas to play third. Sure, Vargas may be nothing more than a raised-floor player keeping the hot corner warm for Top 5 prospect Caleb Bonemer (or Colson Montgomery eventually moving over, once 2025 first round pick Billy Carlson is ready to take over at shortstop). But Vargas is just 26, and has played more than 130 games more recently than Moncada.
Moncada has played fewer than 105 games in each of the past four seasons. He played in just 84 games for the Angels in 2025, due to various ailments.
To throw a bone to those who came to love Moncada on the South Side unconditionally, it would be nice to see Moncada latch on with the Blue Jays and chase a World Series.
He has known nothing but losing outside of the 2020 and 2021 seasons. I would rather see him have a chance to win a title, because he did give Chicago a few good seasons. But it is time for the White Sox to stop thinking he will have another one on the South Side.