Third baseman Yoan Moncada may have what most would consider a strained relationship with the fan base of the Los Angeles Angels, but when it comes to Moncada’s preparation for the upcoming WBC, it’s an entirely different relationship that matters most to him.
That would be the one the third baseman has with his father. Moncada grew up in Cuba, and he learned the game from his father, according to a report written by Ayako Oikawa of MLB.com. He’s well aware of how difficult it is for anyone from Cuba to make it off the island to attain a big league career, especially since his father made a choice while raising him that took away his chance for that same opportunity.
“My dad was very good at baseball," Moncada said. "But after graduating from high school, he chose not to continue in the domestic league and instead pursued a career as an engineer. He taught me everything about the game and helped me take my very first steps.”
The WBC represents something different to every different international team that participates. For young fans and supporters in Cuba, Oikawa said, the Cuban national team represents “pride and possibility.”
“It’s very important to play for the team and also for ourselves,” Moncada said.
The third baseman looked like a rising star when he first came up in the big leagues after signing with the Boston Red Sox at 21, but those hopes have dwindled. He delivered a breakout campaign in 2019, slashing .315/.367/.548 with 25 home runs and a .915 OPS, finishing 21st in American League MVP voting, according to Oikawa. What’s followed has mostly been about injuries and subpar production, however.
Moncada’s father still follows his career from afar, though, watching games online and offering advice. But the third baseman says his father has never seen him play in person, which is a pleasure most major leaguers get to experience early on in their careers.
“He has never been here to watch me play in person. I hope one day he can come, but it’s a process. My mom and younger sister are also in Cuba,” Moncada said.
Moncada does get to go back to Cuba for a month or so during the offseason, where he enjoys home-cooked meals and ongoing conversations about baseball. He says it gives him a chance to reset before the season, and his first action in the WBC will take place when Team Cuba plays a pair of exhibition games against the Kansas City Royals and Cincinnati Reds in Arizona before traveling to Puerto Rico for the initial games in the international tournament.