Angels’ Anthony Rendon Replacement Scratched From Lineup With Injury

Los Angeles Angels third baseman Yoan Moncada was scratched from Friday's lineup with thumb soreness.

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Yoán Moncada scratched from the lineup with thumb soreness.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) March 14, 2025

Utility man Luis Rengifo replaced Moncada in the lineup and is now starting at third base. Rengifo was scratched from the lineup twice earlier this spring because of hamstring tightness, but appears to be progressing well.

Rengifo was originally scheduled to compete in the Angels' road game, but instead, will play in place of Moncada in Tempe. The 28-year-old is expected to play four innings and get at least two at-bats.

The severity of Moncada's injury is unknown, but the hope is that he will be back in the lineup later this week. By Wednesday, the Angels will be using their potential Opening Day lineup so that should also be an indicator of Moncada's status.

Anthony Rendon's injury news propelled Moncada to an everyday starter role with the Angels. The infielder will look to replicate his best performance, which came in 2019. That season, he slashed .315/.367/.548 with 25 home runs across 559 plate appearances.

“Being here is a new opportunity for me, so I'm taking advantage of it,” Moncada said through interpreter Marco Peralta. “I had a couple offers from different teams, but I really enjoyed the expectations that the Angels have.

"And obviously being able to have the chance to play with Mike Trout really motivated me.”

Moncada has dealt with a slew of injuries in recent years, and has missed at least 58 games in each of the last three seasons. However, he's confident the 2025 season should pan out differently with the Angels.

“It’s very unfortunate that I have that history of injuries, but now I'm very thankful that those injuries are gone in my past,” Moncada said. “I feel healthy, and I feel just ready to go and play baseball.”

Soon after the signing of Moncada, manager Ron Washington said he would utilize the 29-year-old as his primary third baseman for the season.

“He's a very talented guy and he's certainly got a lot of baseball left inside of him,” Washington said. “We're gonna stay in the process and give him opportunity with the Angels to bring it out. I think he can be a guy that can be someone you can count on, on both sides of the ball.”

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