The Pink Sox are buying infielder Adalberto Mondesi and a participant to be named later from the Royals, stories Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). Boston will ship lefty reliever Josh Taylor to Kansas Metropolis within the commerce. Univision’s Mike Rodriguez first reported that the 2 sides had been getting near a commerce involving Mondesi.
In Mondesi, Boston is buying an immensely proficient 27-year-old infielder — but additionally one of the ceaselessly injured gamers in MLB over the previous few seasons. Courting again to the 2018 season, Mondesi has appeared in solely 40% of the Royals’ potential video games, lacking time attributable to a proper shoulder impingement, a groin pressure, a pair of left shoulder subluxations, a left hamstring pressure, an indirect pressure and, most lately, a torn ACL that worn out his 2022 season. Each the left shoulder damage and ACL tear required surgical procedure.
It’s a frightening record of accidents for Mondesi, however it’s nonetheless troublesome to not be enticed by Mondesi’s mix of energy, velocity and protection. In 1366 Main League plate appearances, Mondesi has 38 dwelling runs, 54 doubles, 20 triples and 133 stolen bases. He’s additionally amassed 23 Outs Above Common and a 13.3 Final Zone Ranking in 2126 profession innings at shortstop.
Past the accidents, that mixture of uncooked expertise can also be undercut by an aggressive strategy and sub-par bat-to-ball expertise that repeatedly result in sub-par OBPs. Mondesi has fanned in 30.2% of his plate appearances towards only a 4.4% stroll price, and he’s a profession .244/.280/.408 hitter within the huge leagues. That features a tough .140/.204/.140 displaying in 2022, although that got here in a tiny pattern of simply 54 plate appearances.
Mondesi has tantalized scouts, followers and evaluators for years now, however the Pink Sox would be the first crew apart from the Royals to attempt to each hold Mondesi wholesome and maximize the return on these uncooked instruments. They’re solely buying a yr of his companies, as regardless of his struggles to stay on the sector, Mondesi has racked up over 5 years of Main League service time by way of his varied stints on the injured record. He and the Royals averted arbitration by agreeing to a $3.045MM wage again in December.
Boston’s want for up-the-middle assist has skyrocketed over the offseason, with Xander Bogaerts heading to the Padres through free company and Trevor Story now sidelined for no less than a good portion of the 2023 marketing campaign following inner brace surgical procedure in his proper elbow. Boston signed Adam Duvall to play heart discipline, thereby pushing Enrique Hernandez to the center infield. With Mondesi now on board, he can doubtless deal with the majority of the workload at shortstop, when wholesome, whereas Hernandez slides over to second base. Christian Arroyo stays available as a utility choice who may play second base repeatedly, ought to Hernandez want to slip over to shortstop within the occasion of a Mondesi damage.
Extra to come back.
