Monday, August 19, 2019

Why is Yoan Moncada still in Charlotte? Zack Collins? Luis Robert?

White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte at the end of last week. Through three games with the Knights, he was 4 for 12 with a home run.

Then, he didn't play Sunday night, so I figured he was flying to Minnesota to join the team for its three-game series with the Twins starting Monday night.

After all, the Sox lost three out of four over the weekend to the Los Angeles Angels. They could use the help.

But no, Moncada is playing for Charlotte (again) on Monday night. Why? Who knows?

In other news from the farm, Zack Collins was named International League Batter of the Week. The left-handed slugger hit .538 (14 for 26) with eight runs scored, three doubles, four home runs and nine RBIs over seven games this week.

This is terrific news, as Collins has been swinging a hot bat since his demotion to Charlotte. Whatever adjustments he is making are working, and I'm in favor of his return to Chicago. Alas, it hasn't happened yet.

Given the Sox's struggles against even mediocre right-handed pitching of late, perhaps the lineup would look better with Moncada and Collins in it. Manager Rick Renteria continues to resort to Jon Jay batting cleanup against right-handed pitchers. This cannot continue.

And then there's Luis Robert, who homered twice Sunday night and homered again in Monday's game for Charlotte. Robert was batting .306 and slugging .639 in 33 games coming into Monday night, and this latest home run is his 12th since his promotion from Double-A Birmingham.

I just don't see what Robert has left to prove in Triple-A. I hope we see him -- and Collins -- in Chicago sooner rather than later. It's time to get ready for 2020, and those two men need to be part of it. 

Sox brass, unfortunately, seems more content to kill time with Jay, Ryan Cordell and Adam Engel all on the big league roster, not to mention Matt Skole, Welington Castillo and Ryan Goins. Well, I guess Goins is making a case to be around in 2020, but the rest of these guys are just filler.

At what point does this rebuild move on from roster filler?

No comments:

Post a Comment