The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired catcher Matt Thaiss, age 30, from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for outfielder Dru Baker.
A left-handed hitting backup catcher with a plus walk rate, Thaiss (pronounced “thice”) has hit .212/.382/.294 (18-for-85) with four doubles, one home run, 8 RBI, 23 walks and 21 strikeouts over 35 games with the White Sox this season.
Among all hitters with 100 plate appearances or more, his 20.9 BB% leads all major league hitters, and his 15.9 pct. chase rate is third, trailing SF LaMonte Wade Jr. (14.9 pct.) and NYM Juan Soto (15.1 pct.). Additionally, his .382 on-base percentage ranks ninth in the AL and leads AL catchers.
On defense, Thaiss has thrown out 20.0 pct. (5-of-25) of potential base stealers, the seventh-highest rate among AL backstops (min. 20 stolen base attempts), and showcases plus athleticism for the position, blocking pitches and tracking down foul balls well.
A veteran of 280 major league games, the Jackson, New Jersey native was selected by the Angels in the first round (No. 16 overall) of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Virginia.
On November 20, 2024, the Angels traded Thaiss to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash considerations. The Cubs traded Thaiss to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for cash considerations on December 17.
Thaiss, age 30, will be under team control through 2027.
As for the return, the 25-year-old Baker was in his fifth season in the Rays farm system after being selected in the fourth round (No. 130 overall) out of Texas Tech University. He has hit .245/.344/.302 (13-for-53) over 17 games with Triple-A Durham this season. Baker has been on the seven-day injured list since April 22 with a left groin strain.