Sonny DiChiara Swinging Big In Second Half

Sonny DiChiara’s first professional spring training went a little longer than originally planned.

Working at the Los Angeles Angels’ complex in Tempe, Arizona, DiChiara was scheduled to begin the Minor League season in April. While working on a fielding drill, he made a throw and quickly realized something was off. Then the pain wouldn’t go away.

“I was throwing a ball to second and my arm gave out on me. It was a terrible feeling,” he recalled. “I wanted to see if it would calm down, so I went to the cage and tried to hit. But I couldn’t hit. That’s when the realization hit me that this is not how I pictured my first full year going.”

While starting on the Injured List wasn’t the ideal way to start the season, it gave DiChiara a chance to get right, both physically and mentally. Working each day in the hot desert sun, DiChiara gained a perspective on the work that needed to be done while losing a few pounds in the process.

“I learned how to grind again. I got back into the mindset of not taking any day for granted and really got to work hard,” he said. “I sat down with the strength coaches and nutritionists and set a plan. I lost anywhere from 25 to 30 pounds while I was out there. That was something I wanted to work on, and something the Angels wanted me to work on as well. Obviously, it wasn’t an ideal opportunity that I had to be out there by being hurt. But it definitely had it’s positives.”

The work on the back fields in Tempe is a far cry from where DiChiara was last spring, leading the Auburn Tigers to the College World Series and becoming a sensation in the process. As a senior at Auburn in 2022, he hit .384 with 22 home runs and 59 RBI, becoming the third SEC Player of the Year in Auburn history.

Drafted by the Angels in the fifth round last year, DiChiara immediately began his professional career with the Rocket City Trash Pandas. The jump to Double-A was a difficult one. But it kept him close to home, where the Auburn community was supporting him all the way.

“It’s been awesome to see the support. That’s what happens when you make an impact like our team did making that College World Series run,” he said. “I’m happy to still make people smile and get people come out to the games and watch us now.”

Last season, DiChiara finished with a .195 average in 36 games for the Trash Pandas. He began his career on a high note with a 17-game on-base streak. But then DiChiara batted just .106 in September to close the year. He knew he had to be in better shape in 2023, and he completed the work to do just that.

This year, the first baseman successfully completed his rehab and was activated from the IL on May 31. It was a long time coming.

“It was a relief when I was able to stope on the plane and get out here,” he said. “I was in Arizona from January 30 until May 30, so almost half the year was out there. But it was time well spent and I was ready to go when I got here.”

Healthy and ready to tackle the second half of the season, DiChiara has gotten off to a better start compared to 2022. In 39 games, he’s batting .239 with four home runs, 15 RBI, eight doubles, and a .388 slugging percentage. All those totals are much improved from his debut season. He's been even better as of late. Although a career-high seven-game hitting streak came to an end on July 27, DiChiara is still hitting .344 (11-for-32) with two home runs and eight RBI in his last nine games.

“Sonny had a little bit of a setback in spring training. But now he just needed some at-bats,” Trash Pandas Manager Andy Schatzley said. “He needed some consistency and regular playing time and we’re starting to see the performance level out as a result of that.”

Now a staple in the heart of the Rocket City lineup, DiChiara and his Rocket City teammates are looking to reverse their fortunes in the second half of the season. DiChiara is confident the team can turn it around.

“We’ve had some tough losses this year. But that’s the glory of playing six days a week,” he said. “We get to strap it up six times. If you get punched in the face six times, you have five other times to respond.”