Moncada Surgery Puts Angels' Third Base in Doubt

Moncada Surgery Puts Angels’ Third Base in Doubt

Sport

By lines

June 9, 2026

Baseball player knee injury illustration

Yoan Moncada faces knee surgery and an uncertain Angels future after MLB Trade Rumors reported the procedure Tuesday. The Los Angeles Angels transferred Moncada to the 60-day injured list before the surgery news broke. Moncada’s right knee requires surgery extending his absence well past mid-July. This is the fifth straight season in which Moncada has missed significant playing time.

Fifth Straight Injury Season Clouds Moncada’s Free Agency

Moncada is playing his second year in Anaheim on a one-year $4 million contract. The Angels limited Moncada to 26 plate appearances against left-handed pitching in 2026. The right knee injury most severely impacted Moncada’s ability to hit from the right side. Moncada slashed .189/.308/.297 with a 77 wRC-plus across 41 games before the Angels placed Moncada on the injured list.

Moncada has lost more than a month in each of the past four seasons. The switch-hitter has not reached 400 plate appearances since 2022. Moncada managed just 41 games in 2026 before the knee required surgery. The five-year injury run is a sharp decline from Moncada’s 2019 White Sox peak. Moncada hit .315 with 25 home runs in 132 games for Chicago in 2019.

The Angels have already moved at third base. Donovan Walton has handled the bulk of third base playing time over the past two weeks. The Angels recalled 22-year-old Denzer Guzman from Triple-A on Tuesday. Guzman slashed .336/.403/.571 in the minors and ranks as one of the better prospects in a lean Angels farm. Guzman now gets his first extended big-league look with Moncada’s roster spot open.

Moncada reaches free agency in November 2026. Surgery late in the season will almost certainly reduce Moncada’s market value. Five straight injury seasons at age 31 presents a difficult free-agent case. The Angels will need to address third base again in the offseason if Denzer Guzman does not hold the role.

The Angels roster faces a broader depth crisis at the corner infield spots. Los Angeles placed Vaughn Grissom and Adam Frazier on the injured list this week alongside Moncada. The team selected Trey Mancini to fill a roster vacancy. The Angels enter June with three corner infielders unavailable and their playoff hopes fading in the AL West.