Overview
- General manager Chris Getz touted Acuña as an elite defender and baserunner who can play across the infield and in center field, with the club planning consistent opportunities to develop his bat.
- The Mets are absorbing Robert’s $20 million option, providing short-term payroll flexibility for a White Sox roster that has operated near the lower end of MLB spending.
- Acuña, 23, has posted modest MLB offensive numbers but has worked to elevate the ball, played more center field in Venezuela, and recently produced a four-homer game in winter ball.
- Right-hander Truman Pauley, 22, was a 12th-round pick out of Harvard with very limited pro innings, and the White Sox cite his spin traits as a foundation for potential upside.
- Local analysis characterizes the move as sacrificing immediate production for controllable talent and depth, with Chicago’s thin outfield and a modest free-agent market shaping near-term expectations.