The White Sox project Yoán Moncada to be out 3-6 months with the left adductor strain he suffered on Tuesday against the Guardians while trying to run to first base.
The team moved Moncada to the 10-day injured list for the time being. In a reciprocating move, they called up Oscar Colás from Triple-A Charlotte.
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Moncada pulled up while running to first base before falling just short of the bag on Tuesday night. The injury was not provoked by contact and appeared extremely painful for the third baseman. He left the game with assistance from the trainer.
"I think it's the worst injury that I've felt throughout my whole career," Moncada said through translator Billy Russo.
Moncada came into Tuesday's game nursing a nagging hip injury, according to Pedro Grifol before the game. Grifol said the injury had been ongoing for three to four days but he didn't expect Moncada to miss any time with the injury.
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"He's doing a really good job of maintaining it," Grifol said before Tuesday's game. "He's doing okay with it. But yeah, he's had it off and on a little bit. But nothing that can keep him out of the lineup; nothing that can keep him from stealing a bag yesterday."
Grifol said before Wednesday's game "it's not known" whether or not the injury Moncada was dealing with leading up to Tuesday's game is the same one he's dealing with to a worse degree now.
Moncada is the third White Sox player to go down with an injury early in the season, as Luis Robert Jr. (hip flexor strain) and Eloy Jimenez (adductor) both serve stints on the 10-day injury list.
This is a contract year for Moncada. And now he'll be out at least until the All-Star break and potentially the majority of the season. His performance this year was seemingly vital to the value of his next contract.
"He had played really good baseball so far on both sides of the ball," Grifol said Wednesday. "And he was doing a really good job on the bases. ... He was taking pride in a lot of little things in the game that we talked about this offseason. He was doing a really good job in all facets of the game.
"Personally, I think he was just scratching the surface on taking off to having a big year."
Colás, on the other hand, is hitting .321 with two doubles, one home run and four RBIs in eight games in Triple-A thus far this season.
During his rookie season last year, he appeared in 75 games, hitting .216 and primarily playing in the outfield. He should slot in as the team's right fielder upon moving up to the majors.