Chicago White Sox Get First Taste of Acuña’s Game-Changing Tools
Luisangel Acuña offered an early glimpse of why the Chicago White Sox targeted him in a trade this offseason in the club’s first win of the year on Monday.
While Miguel Vargas rightfully grabbed the headlines with six RBIs and a grand slam in the White Sox’s 9-4 win over the Miami Marlins, Acuña quietly made his presence felt all over the diamond.
The 24-year-old Venezuelan got his second start at shortstop, sliding Colson Montgomery to the hot corner. Montgomery entered the season slated as the White Sox primary shortstop, but seeing him already make multiple starts at the hot corner, given his excellent defense up the middle, is sure to raise some eyebrows.
The White Sox have already made it clear they plan to maximize Acuña’s athleticism and versatility by moving him around the diamond this season. It also doesn’t hurt to get Montgomery more reps at third base, especially with the possibility that it could become his long-term position if the White Sox use the No. 1 overall pick on a shortstop.
But for the time being, Acuña proved that he is a capable fill-in at shortstop. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the White Sox were nursing an 8-3 lead that didn’t feel nearly as comfortable as the score indicated after watching their 7-2 lead evaporate in Milwaukee the day before.
With runners at the corners, Marlins designated hitter Augustin Ramierz ripped a 110 mph ground ball up the middle, which Acuña smothered on a short-hop to get the force out at second and end the threat. It looked like a routine play, but it was anything but. Had Acuña not made a quick late adjustment with his glove, the Marlins would have extended their rally and cut the lead to just four.
But Acuña wasn’t finished. After snuffing out the threat, he proceeded to draw a four-pitch walk in the top of the sixth. Just three pitches later, he was standing on third base after stealing both second and third.
The back-to-back steals put Acuña in position to score a shallow sac-fly from Migel Vargas, on a play he really had no business scoring on. Owen Cassie’s throw from right field beat him to the plate, but Acuña slid in just under the tag in an electrifying bang-bang play.
For a White Sox team that has been reliant on the long ball to score early this season, seeing Acuña nearly single-handedly manufacture a run was a welcome sign. It also offered a glimpse into the tools that the White Sox front office found so appealing when they traded for him.
Chris Getz has stated that Acuña was acquired due to his speed, athleticism, and five years of team control. With a 90% success rate on stolen base attempts in his young career, Acuña has the opportunity to be a game wrecker for the White Sox.
But for Acuña to fully leverage his speed, he needs to reach base at a higher clip. While he strikes out at a modest rate, he failed to generate walks and consistent hard contact. In fact, his 35.5% hard-hit percentage would have ranked amongst the lowest in baseball last season, if he had enough at-bats to qualify.
The White Sox would be wise to give him the green light to take off anytime he is on base. His presence on the basepaths not only puts extra pressure on opposing pitchers but also provides a simple yet effective way to manufacture runs that might not come otherwise.
Whether Acuña develops into a reliable everyday player remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: he’s going to be exciting to watch.