In a city where baseball fans are hungry for clarity and direction, the White Sox front office just handed them a reason to ask more questions. After trading away star outfielder Luis Robert Jr. in January, Chicago’s message was clear: this is a reset.
A youth movement. A build for the future.
But now, instead of discussing the upside of their new cornerstone prospect, the conversation has shifted to whether the GM knows the basics about the players he's bringing in.
The center of the latest stir? Luisangel Acuña - the 23-year-old infielder acquired from the Mets in the Robert deal.
Athletic, toolsy, and widely viewed as a potential foundational piece, Acuña was the headliner in the trade. But on February 11, GM Chris Getz repeatedly referred to Acuña as a switch-hitter in multiple media appearances.
Here’s the issue: Acuña doesn’t switch-hit. He bats exclusively right-handed.
This wasn’t a one-off slip of the tongue. Four separate clips surfaced showing Getz making the same mistake.
And in baseball, handedness isn’t some throwaway detail - it’s critical to how teams build lineups, manage platoons, and project long-term roster fits. It’s the kind of thing that’s front and center on every scouting report, every lineup card, and every broadcast graphic.
In fact, Chicago Sports Network has consistently listed Acuña as a righty, even spotlighting his .939 OPS in the Venezuelan winter league this offseason.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Getz hadn’t issued a public correction. And while this might seem minor on the surface, it’s the kind of detail that matters when a front office is trying to sell fans on a new direction.
The White Sox have emphasized accountability and a clear vision - but moments like this undercut that message. When the GM appears to misstate something as fundamental as a player’s handedness - multiple times - it raises eyebrows.
Not just about Acuña, but about the overall attention to detail behind the scenes.
The stakes are high. The Luis Robert Jr. era is officially over.
When the Mets acquired the former All-Star center fielder on January 20, it marked the end of years of trade speculation. In return, the White Sox received Acuña and right-hander Truman Pauley - no cash, no prospects to be named later.
Just two players, both already on 40-man rosters, brought in to help reshape the franchise.
For the Mets, it’s a calculated swing. Robert, 28, is owed $20 million this season with a $2 million buyout looming - a number that comes with steep luxury-tax implications.
But the upside is tantalizing: a player with 30-homer power, elite speed, and Gold Glove potential if he stays healthy. It’s a gamble, but one with the potential to shift the balance in a loaded NL East.
Back in Chicago, the focus is on youth - and upside. Acuña brings speed, range, and versatility to the middle infield.
He’s out of minor league options, so he’ll need to stick on the big-league roster. His MLB slash line so far is modest, but the tools are there.
Pauley, meanwhile, is a developmental arm - a right-hander with intriguing velocity and spin metrics who could grow into a bullpen weapon or more.
But in the midst of this roster reset, the White Sox can’t afford missteps in perception - especially not when they’re preaching a new era of precision and purpose. Fans want to believe in the rebuild.
They want to trust that the front office has a plan. That starts with getting the basics right.
For now, the spotlight stays on Chris Getz and the rest of the decision-makers. The message was supposed to be about the future. But instead, it’s about the details - and whether the people in charge are paying close enough attention.