It sounds like the NY Mets bamboozled the White Sox with Luisangel Acuna

The Chicago White Sox certainly painted themselves into a corner with Luis Robert Jr. For the better part of two years, they dangled him on the trade block, asking for a ransom in return. Two years of underperforming, injury-shortened campaigns forced them to pick up his $20 million option and allowed the New York Mets to swoop in.

For all the risks associated with the once-promising center fielder, the Mets' acquisition is a masterstroke. All they gave up was a player in Luisangel Acuña, who had no clear path to regular playing time in the majors and no options remaining to be sent down to the minors, plus a pitching prospect selected in the 12th-round in Truman Pauley, who has thrown just 4.1 professional innings.

This is essentially two lottery tickets  — one at the big league level and one in the low minors  — in exchange for a player, who, even if he doesn't hit, provides value in the field and on the basepaths, while still holding five-tool potential in the best-case scenario.

However, to hear White Sox general manager Chris Getz tell it, Chicago got a haul thanks to the inclusion of Acuña.

Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz seems irrationally excited about Mets' castoff Luisangel Acuña

Acuña had his shot to grab a role last season, getting some regular run, primarily at second base, for a few weeks from late April through mid May. When that didn't work out, he was still a somewhat heavily used bench component. However, at the end of the day, he logged 95 games and 193 plate appearances, slashing an abysmal .234/.293/.274. It was a far cry from his .308/.325/.641 line during his 2024 cup of coffee.

To this point, Acuña is best known for two things: being Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr.'s younger brother, and dominating the Venezuelan winter league.

Maybe it's the winter ball stuff that has Getz excited. The former top-100 prospect posted a .914 OPS in his homeland last offseason, and has a .939 OPS down there this winter, thanks in part to an unprecedented four-homer game.

Right now, most of Acuña's value is tied to the fact that he can play both middle infield positions and moonlight as a center fielder all at a reasonable level defensively. A shortstop by trade, it is somewhat curious that the White Sox seem intent on making him their starting center fielder. Without utilizing his versatility, they'll be amping up the pressure for him to hit.

The once-heralded youngster will turn just 24 in March, so he's still very young, and perhaps there's a chance he figures everything out. However, for the Mets, getting what they got in Robert Jr. thanks to a player who has been trending downward for a very long time and a complete unknown in Pauley feels like a fleece, even without Robert Jr. returning to the 38-homer form that he displayed in 2023.