White Sox player drops wild comments that will anger other MLB teams

The Chicago White Sox have been one of the most pleasant surprises in baseball this season, as they are somehow smack dab in the middle of the playoff hunt in spite of entering the season with basement-level expectations.

Nevertheless, the White Sox have found a way, and one of the biggest reasons for their ascent has been the development of their young hitters.

We already know about Munetaka Murakami, who had smashed 20 home runs before getting the injured list with a hamstring injury in late May. But shortstop Colson Montgomery and third baseman Miguel Vargas have also taken big steps forward, as has outfielder Sam Antonacci.

Antonacci does not possess the power of Chicago’s other top sluggers, but he owns an impressive .286/.382/.407 slash line. The thing his, his walk rate is a modest 6.8 percent. How is Antonacci’s on-base percentage that high with such a pedestrian walk rate?

The answer? Getting hit by pitches, which the 23-year-old has turned into a refined skill.

Chicago White Sox OF Sam Antonacci just riled some teams up

Antonacci has been plunked 15 times this season. Only St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera (20) has been hit more.

So, what’s the story? How is Antonacci managing to rack up so many HBPs? Well, it seems that the Springfield, Il. native is kind of, sort of doing it on purpose, and some recent comments he made on the phenomenon will surely aggravate other MLB squads.

“It’s just knowing that I don’t have that luxury of being able to hit 30 or 40 home runs in a season,” Antonacci said, via Tyler Kepner of The Athletic. “I have to find different ways to produce, and that just happens to be one of them. I guess just being unselfish, trying to get on any way I can. I’m not going up there trying to be hit by a pitch, but if he happens to throw one at me, I’m not going to move out of the way.”

Hmm, that sure sounds like Antonacci is trying to get hit.

Regardless, so long as Antonacci is not breaking any rules by purposely leaning into a pitch that is out over the plate, he shouldn’t run into any problems. But there is no question that opposing pitchers won’t like hearing his strategy.

I guess now, pitchers will have to be very careful pitching Antonacci inside, because they now already know what he is thinking.

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