TBNL: Yoan Moncada signs; Pete Alonso vents; the Twins do something

Expectations were sky-high when the Boston Red Sox first signed a prized 19-year-old Cuban infielder named Yoan Moncada in February 2015.

First, it’s important to note that the international amateur free agent signing rules were vastly different. Teams were still limited to a pre-determined pool, but they were able to exceed it. Teams did so regularly, willing to pay the 100% tax in many cases. That was the case for Boston during a time when they flexed their financial muscle in the international market.

Boston was already over their pool limit after signing Rusney Castillo to a six-year, $72.5M deal months earlier. The $31.5M signing bonus they agreed to give Moncada was really a $63M investment, factoring in the tax payment to the league.

Moncada spent the 2015 season at Class-A Greenville. He split the following year between High-A and Double-A before making his debut that September (collecting 4 hits in 20 PA over 8 games). That winter the Red Sox would trade him along with Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Victor Diaz for Chris Sale.

Expectations were sky-high once again when Moncada joined the White Sox that spring.

He’d begin the season at Triple-A Charlotte but by June he’d be in the Chicago lineup. The results in that rookie season were relatively average: a .231/.338/.412 line (103 OPS+) over 231 PA with 8 homers.

Two years later, Moncado blossomed and had a career year, even getting a few down-ballot votes for the AL MVP (he finished 21st). He’d play in 132 games for the White Sox, batting .315/.367/.548 with 34 doubles and 25 home runs. Chicago would reward him with a five-year, $70M contract extension with a club option that bought out his three arbitration years and potentially two free agent years.

Since then, Moncada has floundered. Over the last five seasons (injury kept him out nearly all of 2024), he’s hit just .244/.326/.395 (99 OPS+) with 43 homers over 1,682 plate appearances. Chicago declined their team option, sending Moncada to free agency this offseason.

Expectations could not be lower at this point for Moncada, who signed a one-year, $5M deal on Thursday to join the Los Angeles Angels.

He’ll join the team in camp looking to challenge for the starting third base job, as the Angels haven’t been able to count on Anthony Rendon remaining healthy (or interested, for that matter) since signing him five years ago.

Given the bar he needs to top (Rendon hasn’t hit much when he has been healthy) and the completion in camp (veterans Kevin Newman and J.D. Davis) it would seem like Moncada stands a good chance at getting consistent playing time with Los Angeles.

Alonso got to vent to Cohen before re-signing

The long wait for the Mets and Pete Alonso to reunite finally happened late Wednesday, with the slugger agreeing to a two-year deal that lets him opt-out after the first to re-enter free agency. Alonso will earn $30M in 2025 and will get $24M in 2026 if he remains with the Mets (assuming they don’t renegotiate a new extension before then).

Mets owner Steve Cohen and GM David Stearns flew to Tampa to meet in person with Alonso and agent Scott Boras, according to the New York Post’s Mike Puma. Alonso was given a chance to “air his frustrations about the situation” and it was made clear that the team wanted him.

Alonso has hit .249/.339/.514 (134 OPS+) during his six-year career with the Mets and he enters the 2025 season just 27 home runs shy of passing Darryl Strawberry for the franchise record.

Twins finally wake up

Up until this week, the Twins had been quiet all offseason. The only moves they had made with an impact on their 40-man roster were a pair of waiver claims (relievers Roddery Muńoz and Bailey Horn) and a pair of minor trades (adding Diego Cartaya from the Dodgers and Mickey Gasper from the Red Sox, both primarily catchers).

That changed this week with a pair of free agent signings totaling under $10M.

Minnesota added left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe on a one-year, $3M deal. The veteran was posting strong numbers with Baltimore (a 2.12 ERA and 0.674 WHIP over 29.2 IP) before a bone spur in his elbow effectively ended his season in July. This will be his second stint with the Twins.

The next day they added outfielder Harrison Bader for $6.25M. He batted .236/.284/.373 in 437 PA with the Mets last year. Bader was likely miscast in a regular role in New York and shouldn’t be expected to play every day for the Twins.

The sudden signings left the club needing to make room on their 40-man roster, leading the Twins to trade Michael Helman to the Cardinals on Thursday for cash. Helman has shown he can play either the infield or the outfield. That positional versatility is something the Cardinals are already going to be quite familiar with, having multiple players on their roster who can bounce around the field.

Elsewhere, around the league …

• Elvis Andrus spent 12 years with the Rangers and ranks among the franchise leaders in games played, runs scored, and stolen bases. The longtime shortstop will be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame this summer, according to an announcement by the club.

• Well-traveled veteran outfielder Tommy Pham is joining a new organization once again after signing a one-year, $4.025M deal with the Pirates. Pittsburgh will be Pham’s 10th organization. The soon-to-be 37-year-old hit .248/.305/.368 over 478 PA with the White Sox, Cardinals, and Royals last year.

• Ippei Mizuhara was sentenced on Thursday to 57 months (just under five years) in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He’ll also be responsible for more than $18M in restitution payments.