Angels catcher Max Stassi will undergo right hip surgery and require a recovery timeline of four to six months, manager Brad Ausmus announced to reporters Tuesday (Twitter link via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register).
That timeline could well hinder Stassi, 28, from being ready for the beginning of Spring Training. A six-month rehab process would carry him through late March, potentially rendering him unavailable for the start of the 2020 campaign. Of course, that assumes that Stassi makes it to Spring Training with the Angels next season. He’ll be eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter, and between his hip surgery and a feeble .136/.211/.167 batting line through 147 plate appearances, he stands out as a non-tender candidate.
The Angels acquired Stassi shortly before this year’s trade deadline with the hope that a change of scenery could invigorate his bat. Stassi’s defensive prowess is well known, as he perennially rates as a premium pitch framer and draws strong reviews for his blocking abilities as well. Stassi posted a respectable .226/.316/.394 batting line with eight long balls and 13 doubles in 250 plate appearances with Houston a season ago, so it’s not a stretch to think that he could have more in the tank offensively. A change of fortune was (clearly) not in the cards, however.
Between Stassi, the since-released Jonathan Lucroy, Kevan Smith, Dustin Garneau and Anthony Bemboom, the Angels haven’t received much at all in terms of offensive production from their catchers in 2019. The organization’s farm system has improved dramatically in recent seasons but still lacks a potential difference-maker behind the dish; of the Angels’ top 30 prospects at MLB.com, none are catchers. Fangraphs lists Double-A backstop Jack Kruger 27th among Angels farmhands, but he hit just .240/.300/.309 in 380 Double-A plate appearances this season.
Suffice it to say, the Angels look like a team that’ll have catching help near the top of the offseason wishlist. Yasmani Grandal will headline this year’s class of free-agent catchers, while Jason Castro and a revitalized Travis d’Arnaud look like potential regulars for catching-needy teams, as well. Trade possibilities will surely arise as well in what should be a busy offseason for an Angels club that’ll also be looking to fortify its injury-plagued starting rotation.
But what’s the surgery? How do major leaguers get setup or have surgery and no one knows anything but the recovery timeline? It makes no sense at all.
Meh
cant see him even being tendered a contract anyway
I don’t see why we would drop him considering we traded for him at the deadline. I know it was a pittance but you typically don’t discard a player you had to give something up for so quickly. He’ll likely cost >$1m and is an elite defender/framer. You could do a lot worse filling the back-up C position. If he’s not on the opening day roster I expect its because we got 2 really nice back-stops
“you could do a lot worse filling the backup C position”?
This guy couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat….his .136 was a COMBINED 2019 average….don’t care if he’s Johnny Bench defensively….he’s an automatic out in the lineup and the Angels simply can’t afford that.
If he was that valuable, the Astros would have found a way to keep him either in the majors or stash him in the minors….
Disagree. Bench players who cost >$1m and also have any elite abilities are worth keeping. As last yrs Red Sox how much a light hitting defensive specialist C hurts the team?
He won’t cost much. Depends on whether they can afford a roster spot. The Angels need to stay focused on their main goal starting pitchers and not get distracted.
The Angels are 32 games out of first…. Until this organization has a direction and understanding of the game it will continue down the path it has chosen.
And keeping a dud like this because you got him at the deadline might be a clue as to why they’re 32 games out.
And please don’t tell us its because Ohtani wasn’t right this year…..2 years in the majors and he’s already missed half the games he could have played in……Trout’s skills are being wasted in Orange County.
When you have Trout, Upton, Ohtani, AP, and Simmons…. The likes of a Fletcher, and arguably the best bullpen guy in Robles after the Allstar break…. and are 32 games out as of today. You are a lost organization, with players that have given up, and could not careless PERIOD The scoreboard and standings do not lie.
The reality is that we didn’t have that core group playing together for any extended stretch of time. All included missed significant games from injuries. Not trying to nitpick but it’s ufair to judge their (potential) impact based on this yrs W-L results.
does it matter?