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.
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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.
