The Chicago White Sox are going to be sellers at this year’s trade deadline and, according to reports, they could be one of the teams around Major League Baseball that jumpstart the trade market.
While the Sox are not loaded with big league assets on expiring contracts like they have been at past deadlines, they have a handful of players that could be attractive depth additions for a contending squad.
One of those players is veteran catcher Matt Thaiss, who the Sox acquired for cash considerations in the offseason.
Thaiss is a 30-year-old veteran catcher with a .676 OPS in 35 games this season. His 0.7 fWAR is tied for 19th among catchers across the league.
Thaiss has been playing like a serviceable starting catcher this season. At the very least, he’s a borderline elite backup. His walk rate is a testament to the quality at-bats he gives his team night in and night out. There are plenty of contending teams out there that could use a veteran catcher like Thaiss, and the White Sox are currently dealing with a roster jam.
We’d all like to see rookie Edgar Quero be in the lineup regularly. Korey Lee is returning from the Injured List this week and top prospect Kyle Teel is knocking on the door of the Major Leagues and beginning to force the issue in Triple-A.
Chicago can’t carry four catchers on the roster, so it could make sense for the White Sox to find a trade partner for Thaiss sooner rather than later. Here are three teams I could see him being dealt to.
San Diego Padres
The Padres are loaded with talent all over the diamond and seem bound for the playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons. One of San Diego’s weaknesses, however, is catcher.
Elias Díaz is the everyday starter, but his offensive production is the lowest it has been in years. Díaz is hitting .229 with an OPS of .643. He is also one of the worst pitch framing catchers in all of baseball.
The Padres signed Martin Maldonado in the offseason and have had him on the roster all year, but as Sox fans know, that’s a waste of time and money.
Maldonado is close to being an automatic out every time he is in the lineup. He is 5-for-49 at the dish since April 10. His OPS is at .477 and moving in the wrong direction.
San Diego also has Luis Campusano on the roster, who is 0-for-11 this season after a six-year career as a backup.
The three Padres catchers combine for -0.3 fWAR this season. They could use a solid veteran like Thaiss that bats from the left side of the plate and consistently works good at-bats. He would be a great platoon partner with Díaz.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are very rarely buyers at the deadline, but they’re quietly 27-26 this season and only one game out of a playoff spot.
Danny Jansen got $8.5 million from the Rays in the offseason. He’s not off to the best start (0.3 fWAR), but Jansen is still okay to remain the starter given how much he is being paid.
On the bench, however, the Rays have Ben Rortvedt. While Rortvedt bats from the left side and complements Jansen in that way, he is 6-for-60 this season with a pitiful OPS of .311.
Rortvedt is tied with the aforementioned Maldonado with -0.5 fWAR on the season. That’s 77th out of 79 catchers to appear in a big league game this year.
Thaiss is an immediate upgrade at the position and he’s playing for just $1 million in 2025, which is optimal for the low-budget Rays.
San Francisco Giants
Coming into the 2025 season, I never would have expected the San Francisco Giants to be a team that needs help at catcher.
Patrick Bailey has shown flashes of his potential in the past. At 25 years old on Opening Day, he seemed poised for a breakout year. But that just hasn’t happened for him so far. Bailey is hitting .172 with one home run and an OPS of .489.
According to fWAR metrics, Bailey is the best defensive catcher and simultaneously the worst offensive catcher in all of baseball this season. He brings value to the Giants, but they may be motivated to find a backup and platoon option that brings a little more to the lineup.
Sam Huff has the big power the Giants want off the bench, but he’s hitting .208 with only two home runs. Thaiss would bring San Francisco a lot more consistency.