Moncada lands on IL with hamstring strain

CHICAGO -- Yoán Moncada’s early departure from the White Sox loss to the Mets on Tuesday has resulted in a trip to the 10-day injured list.

The White Sox third baseman had an MRI done on Wednesday and was diagnosed with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, general manager Rick Hahn said.

“I’m very disappointed,” Moncada said through interpreter Billy Russo. “This was something unexpected. I don’t even know how that happened.”

Before the game Tuesday, Moncada felt discomfort when he was taking grounders. He didn’t think it was a big deal and thought he would be fine during the game. That changed on his first play in the first inning, when Moncada threw out Wilson Ramos on a slow roller to third for the third out. Ryan Goins replaced Moncada to start the second inning.

Outfielder Ryan Cordell, who had been optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday, was recalled. Cordell, 27, is batting .234 with six doubles, five home runs, 18 RBIs and 15 runs scored over 69 games with the White Sox this season.

“He’s been a huge piece for us,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said of Moncada. “And having him go down in the moment, it’s kind of a kick in the gut. He’s been one of our more consistent performers. He’s grown a lot. But we have to continue to move on.”

Through 97 games and 409 plate appearances, Moncada has slashed .301/.358/.535, with a career-high 20 home runs. He also has 21 doubles to go with 59 RBIs and 58 runs scored.

“We'll re-evaluate after about three days and have a better sense on timing,” Hahn said. “But for now, we're thinking probably two weeks.”

Madrigal, Vaughn earn promotions

The top White Sox picks in each of the last two Drafts are moving closer to the Majors. Andrew Vaughn, the third selection overall in 2019, was promoted to Class A Advanced Winston-Salem on Wednesday and the first baseman launched a three-run homer in his first game. Second baseman Nick Madrigal, the team’s top pick in 2018, was promoted to Triple-A Charlotte.

Madrigal, the No. 5 White Sox prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, hit .304 combined with Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham, striking out a mere 11 times in 355 at-bats to go with 31 stolen bases. Vaughn, the No. 3 White Sox prospect, is slashing .310/.431/.520 across stops with the Arizona Rookie League squad, Class A Kannapolis and the Dash. He has four home runs, nine doubles and 18 RBIs.

“You watch Nick Madrigal hit, and you get to see what scouts talk about when they talk about a 70 or higher hit tool,” Hahn said. “His ball-to-bat skills are virtually unparalleled in the organization, and it's rare throughout the game to see a guy who can handle the bat the way he can. He remains a plus defensive presence at second base and a valuable member of each of the clubhouses he's been in.

“Andrew has a similar bat in terms of how advanced it is, a refined college hitter, that he could conceivably be on that same Madrigal path next year that we saw from Nick this year. We've been very pleased with him so far.”