Braves acquire Max Stassi and David Fletcher

The Braves and Angels have lined up to trade candidates to change the landscape. Atlanta announced the acquisition of a player David Fletcher And the mask Max Staci Minor League first baseman Evan White And the Savior Tyler Thomas. The Braves’ 40-man roster is up to 36; The Halos will be 39 years old once they complete their one-year free agent deals Luis Garcia And Adam Semper.

It is strange for the brave, who do not need help. Atlanta has Sean Murphy For starters and re-signing Travis d’Arnaud to an $8 million deal to serve as a backup. Stassi gives them an experienced and somewhat expensive third catcher. Since they’re unlikely to want to carry all three — and none of them can be sent to the minor leagues — Mark Bowman of MLB.com Tweet They plan to turn the Stasi elsewhere.

Atlanta has already moved three of the players it acquired in trades earlier this offseason. Right-hander Jackson Cowaradded from the royal family of Kyle Wrightwent to the Mariners in the trade that brought him Jared Kelenic. As part of the Kilin trade, the Braves agreed to receive a salary from underwater contracts for left-handers Marco Gonzalez And white. Gonzales was dealt to the Pirates for a minimum return on Tuesday, while White himself has now been shipped away in this swap with the Angels.

They will now try to move Stassi, who is signed to a $7 million contract next season. He also guaranteed a $500,000 buyout on a $7.5 million team option for the 2025 campaign. The Halos have signed him to an extension on the heels of a combined .250/.333/.452 pitch between 2020-21. This contract did not work as the organization envisioned. Stassi fell to a .180/.267/.303 line during a personal-high 375 plate appearances in 2022.

The 32-year-old did not appear at all in 2023. Stassi started the season on the injured list with a left hip strain. While recovering from a mid-season hip problem, he remained away from the team to attend to a family issue. After the season Stassi and his wife Gabrielle open Their son was born three months premature in mid-April and spent the last few months in the neonatal intensive care unit. In November, Angels GM Perry Minasian told reporters that Stassi was planning to play in 2024 (link Via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register).

In the final month of the season, the Angels placed Stassi on the restricted list. This has ensured he has not been paid for the past few weeks as part of the organisation’s ultimately successful effort to get below the luxury tax line. There’s no public indication that impacts the franchise’s relationship with the Stassi, but he also seemed like an unnecessary part of the roster. Logan O’Hop He emerged as a top option behind the plate with Theis died Support him.

Fletcher also signed an extension that was not executed. The first-time glove player signed to a $26 million guarantee in April 2021. At the time, the Angels envisioned him as a long-term starter at second base thanks to a strong performance in the shortened 2020 season. This seems an anomaly, as Fletcher’s offense evaporated over the ensuing three years. Going back to the start of the ’21 campaign, he’s a .259/.296/.327 hitter.

The Angels twice placed Fletcher on waivers this year. He played in just 33 MLB games while pitching in 85 contests at Triple-A Salt Lake. Fletcher made a significant amount of contact with minimal power impact at the upper minor league level, hitting .330/.382/.428 with a microscopic strikeout rate of 6.3% across 380 plate appearances.

Fletcher will make $6 million next season, is guaranteed $6.5 million in 2025 and will get at least $1.5 million on his 26 club buyout option. That’s significantly higher than what he would have made had he been a free agent this offseason. He is a plus defender at both second base, shortstop, and third base. For the Braves, he would serve as good depth at running back Ozzy bass, Orlando Arcia And Austin Riley. That’s the role I played Nikki Lopez In the second half of last season, but Atlanta included him Aaron Boomer Trade with the White Sox.

It’s a purely financial move for the Angels, who also vacated two spots on their 40-man roster. White was a highly regarded prospect during his time with the Mariners. Seattle signed him to an extension before his MLB debut. That didn’t work out, as the right-handed first baseman turned in a .165/.235/.308 line in 84 big-league games between 2020-21. White hasn’t played in the majors in two years and has barely pitched in Triple-A due to various injuries, including multiple surgeries on his left hip.

Atlanta passed White off waivers just yesterday. The Angels will get the remainder of his contract: $7 million next season, $8 million in 2025, and a $2 million buyout on the 26th club option. He will likely start next season in Salt Lake City.

Thomas is a left-handed player who turns 28 in a few weeks. The Braves had just selected him in the minor league stage of the Rule 5 draft out of the Mets organization. The Fresno State product appeared in parts of six minor league seasons. He has a 4.30 ERA over 130 2/3 career innings at Double-A with little experience at the Triple-A level.

The Braves agree to receive an additional $6 million next season, while the Halos will receive an additional $1.5 million between 2025 and 2026. Atlanta also assumes a luxury tax liability of $6 million for next season. A traded player’s luxury tax number is recalculated as the average annual value of what remains in his contract at the time of the trade (including option purchases). Stassi is guaranteed $7.5 million for one season, while the remaining $14 million over two years in Fletcher’s deal is an average value of $7 million. White is due $17 million over two seasons, or $8.5 million annually. There is a $6 million gap between the $14.5 million that Atlanta assumes versus the $8.5 million it charges.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan First mentioned trade terms.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports.