Angels Agree to Trade David Fletcher, Max Stassi to Atlanta Braves

A blockbuster trade for the Halos.

The Los Angeles Angels have traded infielder David Fletcher and catcher Max Stassi to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for first baseman Evan White and LHP Tyler Thomas, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The Atlanta Braves are acquiring infielder David Fletcher and catcher Max Stassi in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels for first baseman Evan White and right-handed reliever Tyler Thomas, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 8, 2023

Fletcher, 29, has struggled to live up to the five-year, $26 million contract he signed with the Halos in 2021.

After having a strong 2020 season, hitting .318 with an OPS of .801, Fletcher has struggled each of the last three seasons, with a combined OPS of .622.

Over the last two years, Fletcher has appeared in just 94 games for the Halos, despite being one of the higher-paid players.

The team appeared ready to move on from him for quite some time, and found a suitor in Atlanta.

As for Stassi, he missed the entire 2023 season dealing with a family emergency, but was expected to be ready to go for 2024. He'll now play in Atlanta, where he'll provide depth at the catching position.

In his last full season in 2022, Stassi hit .180 with nine home runs and 30 runs batted in. 

The Angels had three catchers on the roster — Stassi, Logan O'Hoppe and Matt Thaiss — so it made sense to move one of them this winter. This clears the way for Thaiss, who had a solid 2023 season, hitting .214 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs in 95 games. O'Hoppe will be the starter, with Thaiss serving as a solid backup.

As for the return, Evan White was acquired by the Braves last week from the Seattle Mariners. He's struggled in his limited MLB opportunities, hitting .165 with a .544 OPS in 84 big league games.

Tyler Thomas dominated Double-A last year with the Braves, sporting a 0.79 ERA in 15 appearances. When he got to Triple-A, though, the 27-year-old had a 6.75 ERA in nine appearances.

This is a money-saving move for the Angels, as Fletcher is owed $15.5 million over the next two seasons and Stassi had $7.5 million guaranteed.

The Angels are saving about $14 million here, moving on from two players they likely didn't view as major contributors for the 2024 season and beyond.