How To Optimize The White Sox Outfield
The White Sox offense has been a mixed bag so far this season. The infield, led by Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery, and Miguel Vargas, is the only area of the lineup consistently carrying their weight in the early going. The team has gotten virtually no production from the catcher position because of Edgar Quero’s struggles and the outfield has been a major weakness as well.
Entering the day, White Sox outfielders are collectively hitting just .210/.267/.327 with seven home runs in 333 plate appearances. The outfield has been a revolving door to start the season, but there is now a path to stability and better production should Will Venable optimize his players properly.
Sam Antonacci – Left Field
Sam Antonacci had never played left field at the collegiate or professional level prior to this season, but he has handled the transition as well as anyone could have hoped. After starting the season in Triple-A, he got the call to the big leagues and has impressed in a small sample. In 41 plate appearances over 12 MLB games, he has recorded a respectable .699 OPS. He has also struck out just three times so far, proving his bat-to-ball skills translate at the highest level.
Defense is the bigger concern for Antonacci. A natural infielder, left field is a new position and challenge for him. Yet he has held his own out there so far, and his 75th percentile sprint speed per Baseball Savant suggests he has enough quickness to cover the position. His -1 outs above average reflect that he isn’t a liability, even if he’s not a plus defender yet. He remains the best option for left field for now.
Everson Pereira – Center Field
Everson Pereira has been a revelation for the White Sox so far. He has shown impressive power and has quickly made his way into the heart of the lineup. Unlike Antonacci in left field, Pereira has quite a bit of experience in center. He has 229 games of experience at the position in the minors and has appeared in 21 games in center at the MLB level.
Pereira lacks the blazing speed center fielders typically have, but his sprint speed is still above average per MLB Savant. His 69th percentile arm value also suggests he is passable at the position. Playing him in center field would be prioritizing offense over defense, but with Luisangel Acuña struggling mightily, it is a trade-off they can justify.
Austin Hays – Right Field
By far the team’s most experienced outfielder, Austin Hays has 137 MLB games in right field to his name. While his peak athleticism is probably behind him at 30 years old, he has always had a strong arm and isn’t a statue in the field. Hays in right would again prioritize offense over defense but would help put the best possible lineup on the field.
Defensive Replacements
An alignment of Antonacci, Pereira, and Hays from left to right gives the White Sox their best possible offensive outfield at the moment despite their defensive deficiencies. With Derek Hill and Tristan Peters on the roster, they can serve as defensive replacements in the outfield late in games when the team is winning. Venable can easily adjust his outfield alignments on the fly as situations dictate.
Path To Stability
The departure of Luis Robert Jr. has further depleted the White Sox outfield which wasn’t good to begin with. Top prospect Braden Montgomery should arrive in Chicago later this season, but the team will have to hold it down in the meantime. An outfield alignment of Sam Antonacci, Everson Pereira, and Austin Hays from left to right is the best path to stabilize a struggling White Sox outfield group.