If Yoan Moncada can't play, what do the White Sox do at third base?

Yoan Moncada

White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada and right-handed relief pitcher Jose Ruiz both are on the 10-day injured list with "mysterious ailments."

We know that two Sox players tested positive for COVID-19 on intake, so I think we can connect the dots on what is going on here.

Ruiz is a fringe player who had a 5.63 ERA in 40 appearances with the Sox in 2019, and he's not somebody any of us were counting on.

But Moncada, however, is the team's best player. He's coming off a season in which he hit .315/.367/.548 with 25 home runs, 34 doubles, five triples and 79 RBIs. He also was one of the few players on the 2019 Sox who could be described as a solid defensive player.

The Sox signed Moncada to a five-year, $70 million extension over the offseason. They were counting on him to be a cornerstone not only in 2020, but also for years to come.

Perhaps Moncada will end up helping the Sox this year. In order to return, Moncada will have to test negative twice more than 24 hours apart. Because of privacy reasons, nobody knows where he is in that process. Is he still COVID positive? Maybe. Has he tested negative once, in which case he would need to test negative again? Maybe.

However, the longer we go without seeing Moncada in Sox camp, the more we have to come to grips with the possibility that he will not be ready eight days from now when the team opens the regular season against the Minnesota Twins.

The third base depth for the Sox is, umm, not good. After all, why would you invest much in a backup for the franchise player? What are the Sox going to do in the likely event that Moncada isn't around?

Well, there's Cheslor Cuthbert, who was signed to play third base at Triple-A Charlotte. He's probably the best defensive option available, and he has 322 games of big league experience with the Kansas City Royals. His bat won't wow you, but he can probably catch most of the grounders hit his way.

Danny Mendick is an option, too. The utility infielder showed well in his September call-up last season, batting .308/.325/.462 in a limited sample size of 40 at-bats.

The Sox also have looked at Yermin Mercedes and Andrew Vaughn at third base over the past week. Mercedes can hit, and the Sox would like to find a home for his bat. However, he's a catcher by trade and not real nimble on his feet. I wouldn't want him playing third with an extreme groundball pitcher on the mound, like, say, Dallas Keuchel. Maybe you can spot Mercedes at third if you've got a flyball pitcher on the mound, like, say, Reynaldo Lopez.

Vaughn, the Sox's first-round draft pick in 2019, is a first baseman, plain and simple. I understand the team would like to increase his versatility, but I don't see it happening. If they had the opportunity to try Vaughn at third base in the minor leagues, maybe I could get on board. However, the kid never played a single game at third in college. What makes us believe he can play third in the majors for a team that is trying to move into contention this year? That's a nonstarter for me.

Then there's the option that I like best: It's time to quit screwing around with service time and just put Nick Madrigal at second base. Madrigal has looked better in this camp than he did during spring training in March, and I think he can hold the position down. That means the Sox don't need to use Leury Garcia at second. Instead, put Garcia at third until Moncada returns.

I've always thought Garcia was miscast as an everyday player at any one spot. His best role is as a super sub, filling in at whatever position needs filling. Right now, that position is third base. I say, roll with Garcia at third and hope Moncada's back by early August.

If we're being honest, the Sox probably aren't going to make the playoffs without a healthy Moncada anyway.