The White Sox declined Stassi's $7.5 million club option for 2025 on Friday.
Stassi will be paid a $500,000 buyout and is now a free agent. The veteran catcher has not played in the majors since 2022, as he missed all of 2023 due to a hip injury in addition to a family medical issue and then all of 2024 (aside from five rehab games) before having left hip surgery in June. It's not clear what Stassi's current health status is.
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White Sox's Max Stassi: Opts for season-ending surgery
Rotowire
The White Sox announced that Stassi underwent a season-ending left hip surfacing procedure Friday in New York City.
After missing the entire 2023 season while he was a member of the Angels due to a hip injury in addition to a family medical issue, Stassi will now go another full season without logging any big-league action. The veteran catcher was able to make five rehab appearances at Triple-A Charlotte in April but had been shut down ever since due to a hip injury that apparently wasn't improving after nearly two months of rest. The White Sox hold a $7.5 million team option on Stassi for the 2025 season that the club will almost certainly decline this winter, if he isn't cut loose before then.
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White Sox's Max Stassi: Moved to 60-day IL
Rotowire
Stassi (hip) was transferred to the 60-day injured list by the White Sox on Monday.
The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for Nick Nastrini. Stassi recently had a setback in his recovery from a hip injury when he was hit in the hand by a backswing while on a rehab assignment. He now won't be eligible to return until late May.
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White Sox's Max Stassi: Recovery slowed
Rotowire
Stassi (hip) was hit on the hand by a backswing in a recent game and his projected return has been pushed back as a result, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Stassi was in the midst of a rehab assignment to return from a hip injury and was seemingly closing in on activation. His new injury isn't a fracture, so he may still not be far off from a return. White Sox GM Chris Getz has stated the team will not activate Stassi until he can catch back-to-back games.
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White Sox's Max Stassi: Starts rehab assignment
Rotowire
Stassi (hip) reported to Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday to begin a rehab assignment, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.
The 33-year-old began the season on the injured list with a hip injury, but it appears he won't have a lengthy absence. Stassi could join the White Sox by the weekend if the rehab assignment goes well.
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White Sox's Max Stassi: Goes on IL with hip injury
Rotowire
The White Sox placed Stassi on the 10-day injured list Monday with left hip inflammation, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
Stassi missed the entire 2023 season because of a hip injury in addition to a serious family medical issue, and it would appear the hip problem is still nagging at him. Korey Lee will now open the season as Martin Maldonado's backup.
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White Sox's Max Stassi: Banged up
Rotowire
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Sunday that Stassi's availability for Opening Day is up in the air due to unspecified soreness, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Stassi sat out last season due to a hip injury and a serious family medical issue, and it's unclear if the current problem is related to his hip. Korey Lee is likely to begin the season as Chicago's backup catcher should Stassi require a trip to the injured list.
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.
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.
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.
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.
