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Today in White Sox History: March 5

Yoán Moncada becomes the third young South Side star to sign a long extension.

By Brett Ballantini
/ new
MLB: Chicago White Sox at Texas Rangers
Despite static from critics, Yoán Moncada has already paid the White Sox back handsomely for his rich contract extension.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

1967

In what is believed to be a first, the White Sox get permission to use a designated hitter in spring training games. This primitive DH rule allowed a player to pinch-hit twice in the same game (rather than just once), provided both teams agree to the rule before the game.

2020

Coming off of a 25-homer, 5.2-WAR season, Yoán Moncada signs a five-year, $70 million contract extension. The deal follows extensions given to Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert without either young star ever having played a game in the majors. Moncada’s situation better resembles that of Cuban countryman Robert, in that both were signed to enormous bonuses to leave Cuba, in Moncada’s case $31.5 million.

Moncada has struggled to meet his 2019 greatness in 2020, contracting COVID at the start of Summer Camp and battling fatigue over the 60-game season. However, he bounced back for a 4.0 WAR season in 2021 and has provided the White Sox a huge surplus value to date.

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