Yoan Moncada’s status uncertain for Opening Day

MESA, Ariz. — The last thing the White Sox wanted heading into a season-opening series with the champion Astros was uncertainty about the status of one of their top players, but that’s what they’ll have until third baseman Yoan Moncada is declared fit to play.

While expressing some optimism that the sore lower back that caused Moncada to leave a Cactus League game after two innings Sunday won’t be an issue, first-year manager Pedro Grifol was in wait-and-see mode Monday morning.

Adding to the stress a few hours later was seeing Hanser Alberto, who would be an option to replace Moncada if he isn’t ready to face the Astros on Thursday, leave the Cactus League game against the Cubs after getting hit by a pitch from Jameson Taillon on the right hand.

A year ago, Moncada suffered an oblique strain on the last day of spring training and landed on the injured list the day before the season opener in Detroit. Jake Burger was added to the Opening Day roster, and Moncada didn’t play until May.

“He’s doing OK,” Grifol said before the Sox’ second-to-last game of the Cactus League season. “He felt a lot better coming in this morning, and everything I’ve gotten back is positive feedback.”

Officially, Moncada is day-to-day. Grifol said the expectation “right now” is Moncada will be ready for Thursday. After the spring finale against the Cubs on Tuesday, the Sox fly to Houston for an optional workout at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday. Moncada will get treatment “and do some stuff” there, Grifol said. The soreness is in the lower back and “butt cheek” area, Grifol said.

“If everything checks out, he’ll be ready,” Grifol said.

Fingers are crossed for a team ravaged by injuries last season. Grifol suggested Moncada’s soreness stems from being on long flights in recent weeks. He and Luis Robert played for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic, flying to Taiwan from Phoenix, then to Miami and back to Phoenix.

“They got a lot of miles on them this spring,” Grifol said. “That could be a residual of that.”

On a more positive note, Andrew Vaughn played in his first Cactus League game since March 12 after missing time with a sore lower back of his own. Vaughn played in minor-league games Friday and Saturday and will be “ready to go in Houston,” Grifol said. Vaughn flied out to the warning track, singled and played first base.

“He feels really good,” Grifol said. “Thank God everything has worked out the way it has.”

Things never worked out last season for Moncada, who couldn’t find a rhythm after his late start to the season, landing on the injured list twice with hamstring strains and finishing with a .212/.273/.353 hitting line. He came to camp early this year to prepare for the WBC and was determined to stay healthy and have a bounce-back season. He made the WBC all-tournament team.

“He’s been really working hard,” Sox hitting coach Jose Castro said Monday. “We worked on a couple of things. More lower-half stuff, staying behind the swing more. We like where he’s at.

“He got on a roll [in the WBC], and it was working. I think he’s happy with where he’s at right now.”

Alberto, a 30-year-old infielder who won a job on the Opening Day roster as a non-roster invitee to spring training, was batting .450 with two home runs this spring. He yelled in pain and went to a knee shaking his hand before leaving the game. It was a scare the Sox didn’t need. Seeing him carrying two bats to the clubhouse in his right hand seemed like a good sign.

“Overall, we are healthy,” Grifol said before the game. “Our club is starting to shape up and come together. Now it’s all about finishing these last two games here healthy and heading to Houston.”