The Chicago White Sox made headlines recently with a bold move, sending Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets in exchange for Luisangel Acuña and a prospect. On paper, it’s a classic rebuild move-flipping a star for promising youth-but the early comments from White Sox GM Chris Getz have sparked more confusion than confidence.
Getz, speaking about the deal, seemed genuinely surprised the Mets were even willing to part with Acuña. That’s not an outrageous take.
Acuña, at one point, was one of the most hyped prospects in the Mets system, and the organization paid a steep price-both in dollars and talent-to bring him in during the Max Scherzer deal. But here’s where things get murky: Getz has repeatedly referred to Acuña as a switch-hitter.
He’s not. In fact, he’s never been one.
This isn’t just a one-off slip of the tongue, either. According to multiple reports, Getz has made the same incorrect claim several times. That’s the kind of mistake that raises eyebrows-not because it’s a capital offense in baseball ops, but because it suggests a fundamental misunderstanding of the player you just acquired in a franchise-altering trade.
Now, to be clear, Acuña brings legitimate tools to the table. He’s fast-like, top-of-the-scale fast-and that speed could make him a viable option in center field, especially for a White Sox team that’s clearly trying to get younger and more athletic. He’s played all over the diamond in both the majors and minors, and while he hasn’t exactly forced his way into everyday lineups, there’s enough versatility and upside to see why a team would be intrigued.
But he’s not a switch-hitter. And he’s not Ronny Mauricio, who is a switch-hitter and a very different type of player-bigger, more power-oriented, and more likely to stick in the infield.
If Getz had Mauricio in mind when evaluating Acuña, that’s a pretty serious mix-up. These aren’t two players you confuse if you’ve done your homework.
That said, Getz’s broader assessment of Acuña wasn’t entirely off-base. He called him dynamic, and in the right context, that’s fair.
Back in 2023, when Acuña arrived in the Mets system, he brought energy and promise. Scouts loved the athleticism, the defensive potential, and the speed.
But even then, there were questions about how much he’d hit, and whether his bat would ever catch up to his glove and legs.
So far, the returns have been mixed. Acuña has shown flashes, but not dominance.
He’s looked more like a useful piece than a cornerstone. That doesn’t make him a bad acquisition-but it does mean that the White Sox are betting on development rather than production.
And in that case, you really want to make sure you know exactly who you’re getting.
It’s also worth noting that the Mets, under David Stearns, have been strategic with their moves. They’ve been willing to eat money to secure talent, and they clearly saw Acuña as a worthwhile chip to cash in.
If Stearns knew Acuña’s value had plateaued, this might’ve been the right time to make a move. And if Getz is still working off 2023 scouting reports, the White Sox may have paid a premium for a player whose stock has cooled.
In the end, this trade will come down to what Acuña becomes. If he develops into a top-of-the-order sparkplug who can handle center field and cause havoc on the basepaths, the White Sox will have something to build around. But if he tops out as a utility guy with speed and limited offensive upside, the questions about Getz’s evaluation process are only going to get louder.
For now, the deal is done. But if you're David Stearns, maybe you keep Getz on speed dial-just in case there’s another opportunity before the scouting report gets updated.