The Chicago White Sox traded catcher Matt Thaiss of Jackson, New Jersey to the Kansas City Royals for minor league outfielder Dru Baker of Tomball, Texas on Tuesday according to Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors. Baker played for the Durham Bulls of the International League and the Rays in the Rookie League this season.
Third Major League Baseball franchise
Thaiss played six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels from 2019 to 2024. He then played 35 games with the Chicago White Sox in 2025.
Thaiss’s 2025 MLB Statistics
Thaiss batted .212 with one home run and eight runs batted in during the 2025 Major League Baseball regular season. During 35 games, 85 at bats and 110 plate appearances, he scored 11 runs, and had 18 hits, four doubles, one stolen base, 23 walks, 25 total bases, one sacrifice fly, an on base percentage of .382, and a slugging percentage of .294. It is interesting that Thaiss has a better on base percentage than slugging percentage by 88 points.
Thaiss’s home run and stolen base came in White Sox wins. The home run came in an 8-4 White Sox win over the Boston Red Sox on April 20, and the stolen base came in a 6-2 White Sox win over the Miami Marlins on May 9.
Initially at the corner infield
Thaiss was selected as a catcher in the first round, 16th overall, by the Angels in the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft. However, he moved to the corner infield at the beginning of his MLB career. Thaiss played 43 games with the Angels in his rookie season in 2019 at third base, and 17 games with the Angels over the next three seasons at first base. Then in 2022, the Angels started playing Thaiss in the position he was initially drafted–catcher.
Rays in Playoff Contention
The Rays are at 27 wins and 27 losses. They are two games back of the Houston Astros and Cleveland Guardians for the final playoff spot in the American League.
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