Chicago White Sox Get Good News On Acuña, Uncertainty On Pereira

Luisangel Acuña wasted no time showcasing the skill set that made him the centerpiece of the Chicago White Sox’s trade of Luis Robert Jr. Unfortunately, he cut his face open in the process. 

Acuna went two-for-two in Wednesday’s Cactus League Action against the Cincinnati Reds before leaving with an injury. After lining a single to left field in the fourth inning off of right-hander Hector Richardson, Acuna proceeded to steal second base. But as he slid into second headfirst, his helmet slammed above his left-eyebrow, opening a cut on his face. He left the game and later received four stitches.

Acuna told reporters after the game that he felt good but expected to be out of the lineup for a couple of days. 

“That’s the way I play the game. That’s my intensity, and that’s how I do it,” Acuna told reporters via a translator before Thursday’s game against the Dodgers. “I feel good to play, but they said that for precautionary reasons, I’d be out for a couple of days.” 

The relatively minor injury is encouraging news for a Chicago White Sox team eager to see what the 23-year-old former top-100 prospect can provide this season.

Everson Pereira Still Experiencing Soreness

However, the same cannot be said for another former top-100 prospect, Everson Pereira. Acquired from the Rays this offseason, Pereira entered camp as the presumed frontrunner for the Opening Day job in center field. 

But after being sidelined by an oblique injury, his timeline for return remains uncertain. Pereira strained his right oblique while swinging off a Trajekt machine, which uses data to replicate pitches thrown across MLB. He told reporters he is still experiencing soreness as he works to ramp back up.

He underwent an exam on Wednesday and has begun running, which is a step in the right direction, but hasn’t been able to fully ramp up baseball activities yet. 

The setback has been understandably frustrating for Pereira, who is trying to make a positive first impression with his new team. Adding insult to injury, the White Sox have several outfielders vying for a roster spot. The White Sox already have six outfielders in camp on the 40-man roster, along with four non-roster invitees. While Pereira still has the inside track position to secure a spot, his injury could be enough for a non-roster invitee such as Jared Kelenic to steal a roster spot with an impressive Spring Training.