Atlanta traded Stassi (hip/personal) and cash considerations to the White Sox on Saturday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.
Stassi was traded from the Angels to Atlanta on Friday, but it was assumed Atlanta would quickly send Stassi elsewhere given the presence of Sean Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud. Stassi slashed .180/.267/.303 in 375 plate appearances in 2022, and he failed to appear in a game last season due to a hip injury and a serious family medical issue. Stassi's extended time away from baseball means he will have to compete for a spot on the White Sox's Opening Day roster, but a weak catcher room in Chicago keeps him in the running for the starting job.
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Braves' Max Stassi: Dealt to Atlanta
Rotowire
Atlanta acquired Stassi (hip/personal) and David Fletcher from the Angels on Friday in exchange for Evan White (hip) and Tyler Thomas, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
The reigning NL East champs are already set at catcher with Sean Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud, so Stassi could quickly be flipped to another team -- assuming he's ready to resume his playing career. The 32-year-old did not appear in a game at any level in 2023 after suffering a hip injury late in spring training and then having to deal with a serious family medical issue.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Goes on restricted list
Rotowire
The Angels placed Stassi (personal) on the restricted list Sunday.
Stassi was initially placed on the 15-day injured list after suffering a hip injury late in spring training before he was transferred to the 60-day IL in June. Though the Angels have noted that Stassi is ostensibly healthy again and "in a position to resume activities," he's voluntarily choosing to sit out the remainder of the 2023 season while he tends to a serious family medical issue that has prompted him to conduct his rehab away from the team since the end of spring training. In 2024, Stassi will be entering the final season of the three-year, $17.5 million extension he signed with the Angels in May 2022, and Los Angeles also holds a $7.5 million club option and $500,000 buyout of his contract for the 2025 season.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Transferred to 60-day IL
Rotowire
Stassi (hip/personal) was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list by the Angels on Saturday.
Stassi remains without a timetable to return while dealing with a hip injury and also a personal matter that has sidelined the backstop since the start of the season. This removes the backstop from the 40-man roster, and the Angels used that room to select the contract of Gerardo Reyes from Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Still no timetable for return
Rotowire
Angels manager Phil Nevin told reporters Saturday that Stassi (personal/hip) remains without a return timetable, but he has resumed participating in baseball activities and working out, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Stassi has been out for the entirety of the 2023 season due to both a family issue as well as a hip injury that occurred just before Opening Day. The backstop has a chance to earn significant playing time when he does rejoin the Angels with several of their catchers dealing with injuries, but he may not return to Los Angeles until deeper into the summer.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Remains without timetable
Rotowire
Angels general manager Perry Minasian told reporters Tuesday that Stassi (personal/hip) remains without a timetable, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
Stassi has missed the entirety of the 2023 season while dealing with a family issue as well as a hip injury he picked up right before Opening Day, and the team isn't sure when he might return. if and when he does rejoin the Halos, the veteran catcher has a chance to get reps for the Angels behind the plate with Logan O'Hoppe (shoulder) out for at least the next four months.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Making progress
Rotowire
Stassi (hip) has been able to participate in some baseball activities lately, Angels manager Phil Nevin told MLB.com Sunday.
Stassi is making some progress with the hip injury which has forced an IL stint to start the season, but it's not clear when he might be ready for a rehab assignment. Also complicating a potential return date is the catcher dealing with an ongoing family emergency. It's possible Stassi could be back before the end of April, but that's hardly set in stone.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Move to IL official
Rotowire
The Angels placed Stassi (hip) on the 10-day injured list Wednesday.
As anticipated, Stassi will begin the season on the IL while he recovers from the left hip strain he suffered while appearing in a minor-league spring training game last weekend. The Angels will have room for both Logan O'Hoppe and Matt Thaiss as the catching options on their Opening Day roster, though manager Phil Nevin hasn't specified whether the team will have the two work in a timeshare or have one serve as the primary option in Stassi's stead.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Headed to injured list
Rotowire
Stassi was placed on the 10-day injured list with a hip injury by the Angels on Monday, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
Stassi hurt his hip during an appearance in a minor-league game Sunday. It's not clear at this point how much time he might miss. With Stassi on the shelf, Logan O'Hoppe now rejoins the big club to share time at catcher with Matt Thaiss.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Injures hip Sunday
Rotowire
Angels manager Phil Nevin said Sunday that Stassi is unlikely to be included on the Opening Day roster after experiencing hip soreness while playing in a minor-league spring training game, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
The Angels may not have a full picture of Stassi's injury until after he presumably goes through more extensive tests Monday, but the hip issue coupled with an unspecified personal matter that has recently kept him away from camp looks as though it'll prevent him from opening the season on the 26-man active roster. Stassi's expected absence to begin the campaign will pave the way for both Logan O'Hoppe and Matt Thaiss to make the Opening Day roster, with O'Hoppe representing the higher-upside fantasy option of the two.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Still seen as starter
Rotowire
Stassi appears set to win the starting catcher job for the Angels despite hitting just .231 with a .615 OPS in 13 at-bats this spring, MLB.com reports.
Stassi looks set to begin the season as the starter with Matt Thaiss and
Logan O'Hoppe battling for the backup role, though Stassi could split time or platoon with Thaiss. While Stassi may begin the season as the starter, it seems just a matter of time before O'Hoppe takes over as the starter. O'Hoppe had a breakout season last year by hitting .283 with 26 home runs and a .961 OPS at Double-A which earned him a 14-game late-season call-up with the Angels.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Solo shot in win
Rotowire
Stassi went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Athletics.
After getting a couple of nights off, Stassi got the start Thursday and capitalized with a solo home run in the eighth inning to extend the Angels' lead to 4-0. The long ball was Stassi's ninth on the season and first in September. He is slashing .182/.268/.307 through 100 games this season and should continue to be part of the Angels' catching rotation to close the campaign.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Day off Wednesday
Rotowire
Stassi isn't starting Wednesday against the Rangers.
Stassi went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts Tuesday and will head to the bench for the third time in the last four games. Matt Thaiss will take over behind the plate and bat sixth.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Takes seat in second straight
Rotowire
Stassi is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Mariners, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
After a recent string of three consecutive starts behind the dish, Stassi will sit for the second straight game while Matt Thaiss handles catching duties. Stassi still looks to be Option 1A for the Angels, but his major downturn in performance in 2022 could result in Thaiss becoming part of a timeshare at the position. After posting a .752 OPS last season, the 31-year-old Stassi is slashing .179/.267/.297 over his 352 plate appearances in 2022.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Rests after three straight starts
Rotowire
Stassi is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners, Sarah Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Stassi will take a seat after he caught each of the Halos' last three games while going 0-for-10 with five strikeouts in those contests. Matt Thaiss will spell Stassi behind the plate Sunday.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Strikes out thrice
Rotowire
Stassi (undisclosed) went 0-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and three strikeouts in Saturday's 6-1 win over the Astros.
Stassi didn't miss any additional time after leaving Friday's game for precautionary reasons. He's now 1-for-13 with four walks, five strikeouts, one RBI and two runs scored through five games in September. With Kurt Suzuki (bereavement) available again and Matt Thaiss still on the roster, playing time behind the dish for the Angels is likely to remain as a three-way timeshare.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Starting Saturday
Rotowire
Stassi (undisclosed) is starting Saturday against the Astros, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Stassi exited Friday's matchup against Houston as a precautionary measure, but he'll start behind the dish and bat eighth a day later. Over four games since the start of September, he's gone 1-for-10 with a run, an RBI, three walks and two strikeouts.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Removed for precautionary reasons
Rotowire
Staassi was removed from Friday's game against the Astros for precautionary reasons.
It's unclear exactly what type of injury Stassi is dealing with, but he was unable to go a full nine innings. His status will be updated when more information is available.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Riding pine Wednesday
Rotowire
Stassi isn't starting Wednesday against the Tigers, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Stassi started the last two games and went 1-for-6 with an RBI. Matt Thaiss will take over behind the dish and bat eighth Wednesday.
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Angels' Max Stassi: Sitting Sunday
Rotowire
Stassi is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Stassi is 2-for-48 over his past 13 contests and will take a seat Sunday for the second time in the Angels' last three games. Chad Wallach will step in behind the plate and bat eighth.
