Yoan Moncada returns to action with the Angels
The Los Angeles Angels received a significant boost with the return of third baseman Yoan Moncada, who was activated for Tuesday night’s game against the Texas Rangers. Moncada, who was out of action for five weeks due to inflammation in his right knee, returns to strengthen the team’s lineup. Before his injury, Moncada, 30, was batting .237 with an OPS of .841, six home runs, six doubles, and 19 RBIs in 30 games. He is also noted for his plate discipline, with 32 strikeouts and 13 walks in 113 plate appearances.In his brief rehabilitation period with the rookie league affiliate team in Arizona, Moncada had four hits in nine at-bats, playing one game at third base. “I’m not 100%,” Moncada said through an interpreter, when asked if his knee still bothered him a bit. “But the knee is… I don’t feel so bad.” During Moncada’s absence, Luis Rengifo and Kevin Newman were the team’s primary third basemen, although neither has been as productive as Moncada. Rengifo will move to second base to replace the injured Christian Moore, but is still expected to have some starts at third base, while Moncada gradually returns to a full-time role. “I think there’s a general caution,” Montgomery said, when asked if Moncada will need more rest days. “We have a four-day break next week. He’s missed some time. He played three games. He came out of them clean. We want to keep that momentum, and if we can, we will.”“We’ve all seen it, we know how valuable he is to us. He just anchors everything. He brings peace and calm to third base and the lineup. I’m glad he’s here,” commented Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery.
Ray Montgomery
