Yahoo Lifestyle Yoán Moncada is still battling fatigue months after having coronavirus: 'My body hasn’t felt the same'
Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada is still dealing with the fallout of coronavirus months after contracting the virus. Moncada — who has been dealing with weakness and fatigue — says his body “hasn’t felt the same” this season, according to James Fegan of The Athletic.
Moncada, 25, tested positive for coronavirus in July. He quarantined away from the White Sox for two weeks, and was able to return for opening day. Moncada didn’t appear to have any lingering side effects from the virus initially, hitting a home run on opening day.
But as the season has gone on, Moncada has struggled with weakness and fatigue, he said through team interpreter Billy Russo.
“Definitely my body hasn’t felt the same after the virus,” Moncada said through Russo. “I feel a lack of energy, strength, it’s just a weird feeling. It’s different. When I got to Chicago before I tested positive, I was feeling strong and with energy. Now, it’s like a daily battle to try to find that strength, that energy to go through the day. But I think that’s something that I have to deal with and it is what it is. I have to find a way to get through it.”
Moncada has played quite a bit in 2020 despite those symptoms, though did take three consecutive games off at the end of August into early September.
Yoán Moncada has seen some decline in 2020
Moncada, once considered one of the best prospects in the game, has experienced some decline after hitting .315/.367/.548 last season. In 2020, Moncada is hitting .242/.333/.411, with 5 home runs. He’s still been a better than average hitter, posting a 106 wRC+, a stat that measures offensive performance, but that’s a far cry from the 141 wRC+ Moncada posted last season. On top of that, he’s not hitting the ball as hard. Moncada’s exit velocity has dropped from 93.1 mph last season to just 86.8 in 2020, according to Fegan.
Other MLB players have dealt with coronavirus
Moncada is far from the only MLB player to deal with coronavirus this season. While come players have returned and put up their usual numbers, Moncada’s case shows that some players can experience long-term side effects from the virus. Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez is another example of that. Rodriguez, 27, is sitting out the 2020 MLB season due to inflammation in his heart as a result of coronavirus.
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