The White Sox traded catcher Chuckie Robinson to the Angels in exchange for cash, the teams announced Wednesday. The Halos designated righty Davis Daniel for assignment in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Presumably, the trade of Robinson is the White Sox’ corresponding move to open 40-man roster space for righty Bryse Wilson, who reportedly agreed to a one-year deal there earlier this afternoon. Both teams have full 40-man rosters.
Robinson, 30, has played in two big league seasons, logging 25 games with the ’22 Reds and 26 games with the ChiSox this past season. He’s struggled mightily at the plate, hitting a combined .132/.170/.194 in a small sample of 135 MLB plate appearances. He’s graded out well defensively, though, with good marks for his framing and quality caught-stealing rates. Robinson nabbed nine of the 31 opponents who tried to swipe a base against him in 2024 (29%).
Although Robinson hasn’t hit in his minimal action at the big league level, he’s a .272/.330/.423 hitter in three Triple-A seasons. He also still has a pair of minor league options remaining. He’ll be no higher than third on the organization’s catching depth chart behind Logan O’Hoppe and Travis d’Arnaud, but he’ll give them a more flexible third catcher than they had with the out-of-options Matt Thaiss (who has coincidentally made his way to the White Sox after first being traded from the Angels to the Cubs).
The 27-year-old Daniel will lose his spot on the Angels’ 40-man roster as a result of today’s swap. He’s seen major league time with the Halos in each of the past two seasons but been tagged for an ugly 5.06 ERA in 42 2/3 innings. Daniel has a below-average 19.9% strikeout rate and a solid 8.1% walk rate during that time but has averaged a tepid 92.1 mph on his four-seamer while posting poor whiff rates.
Daniel’s 2024 struggles extended to his Triple-A work (5.43 ERA), but he posted solid numbers there in 2022 (4.49 ERA, 102 1/3 innings) and was sharp in the minors and in the Arizona Fall League as recently as 2023. He also has a minor league option remaining. That could prompt another club to take a look, but if not, Daniels can be outrighted to Triple-A and retained as non-roster depth. The Angels will have a week to trade him or attempt to run him through outright waivers.
Chuckie Cheese is next.
Chuckie Finster
The Sox got $75.
THE STOVE IS HOT
Robinson became expendable after the White Sox acquired Matt Thaiss from the Cubs, who got him earlier in the offseason from the Angels. Odd. Guess the Angels decided they wanted another catcher after all.
need a AAA guy
@baseball77. angels Have no catching depth in the minors. They don’t have anyone in the system only some prospects in low a. They need 6 more, because i believe everyone was a free agent.
I’m sure the Halos would have preferred to keep Thaiss if he had any minor league options left
@cmancoley. They probably feel like chuckie can be the 4th catcher, and re-sign wallach. If they can’t they will sign whoever is available at the end of free agency. Thaiss isn’t a catcher if he was they would’ve have signed a 36 yr old d’arnaud to 6 million.
He’s been expendable his entire career.
One big circle ….
This is like when they tell you to recycle your cans and bottles, but in truth it all goes to the same dump.
Daniel was ok but too streaky. Him and Rosenberg were too inconsistent, even for depth starters. Makes sense to get a catcher with options with Thaiss gone. Wish we’d bring back Wallach.
Wallach wants a chance to be the backup somewhere
@cookmeister. Wouldn’t surprise me if he signs with the whitesox as the backup. I wouldn’t mind wallach as the third option, and I’m sure that’s the plan.
Yeah they should bring Wallach back. He’s 33 now, and the career .263 OBP, .198 BA, and 60 OPS+ were surely aberrations. But he sure could catch the ball.
Look out everybody, the Angels are some bad a**’s over here.
Again, great signing
Love the name
Who got the game winning hit? Chuckie Robinson
I am way too optimistic, however I see the angels entering the playoff tournament. That would be plenty for me, one playoff win!!
Although, remember the titans and 02 angels
Does Brad Dourif come with?
I don’t understand the DFA of Davis Daniel when there are worse pitchers on the roster.
@halosheavenjj. Because it doesn’t matter. Angels will sign atleast three more guys for the roster.
I think this just opens the door for more bullpen options from the minors. Daniels was never impressive, and there’s a lot of solid talent in the minors.
But we all know the Angels have a weird love affair with Suarez. The only other pitcher that is worse is Mederos. They already cut bait on basically the rest of the bad parts of the bullpen.
@kellin. Yeah last year I wanted to see more of Rosenberg, Daniel,saurez, and canning. It’s time to turn the page definitely have seen enough.
@rex I’m beyond happy that Canning is gone.
I keep thinking Silseth won’t be anything, but I also forget he’s still young and hasn’t had enough time, along with being hurt. If he can maintain what he did in 2023, he’ll be an acceptable back of the rotation guy.
@kellin.
Yeah so far the fifth, and long reliever spot is open. It’s probably detmers and silseth unless they crap the bed in spring training. Jack is probably in the mix against detmers.
Yeah, Daniel had a decent run in the AFL. I’m a little biased towards him because I I’ve interviewed him a couple of times.
@halosheavenjj. Wouldn’t mind if they brought him back for another shot instead of throwing out waiver wire pickups of innings like last year.
I still cant believe they let Sandoval go. Poverty decisions.
@bkbk. He’s probably out for the year. Why tender him for 7 million.
I hope he thrives with the Angels. We need more players named Chuckie.
Davis Daniel was out of options, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts.
Chad Wallach is no longer in the Angels organization. He became a free agent after last season. As far as I know, he was the only catcher in the organization that became a free agent.
The catchers in the Salt Lake roster are Zack Humphries, Anthony Mulrine and Josh Crouch.
@ex mlb. Yeah i knew about wallach. I swear Humphreys was signed on a one year deal. can’t find anything besides a report saying he’s depth in the minors along mulrine, and campero being a option because he was moved off catcher.
Ex MLB: A catcher named Crouch? Gotta love that.
NOOOO! NOT CHUCKIE!!!!
This is the same reshuffling of the deck chairs on the Titanic as last season. We currently have no second or third baseman. Our Shortstop is injured and will miss spring training and at least the beginning of the season. Only two of our five starters that began the season will be back and that’s assuming they don’t trade Tyler Anderson. They’ve upgraded at DH, backup catcher and infield depth, but they had Estevez to begin last year in the bullpen– lots of holes there as well. This is a 90-loss team.
Bang!! Another world series move from that brainiac Perry Menasian!!! We needed a guy who could come in and hit a buck sixty. Genius move by the Halos again.
I thought it was Daniel Davis.
Nope. Davis Daniel.
@carllafong. You do realize angels have been the busiest in free agency, and it’s still early. As far as third or second base rengifo will cover one. The bullpen was one of the best bullpens after the subtractions. Hard to freak out over chuckie Robinson being the 3rd/4th catcher. We just need depth because we have two capable catchers now. I forgot to mention moore knocking on the door for second base. This not like last year.
So in a round about manner the Angels traded Thaiss to the White Sox for Robinson with the Cubs acting as a middle-man
It’ll be Child’s Play for Chuckie.
Why not just keep Thaiss in the first place?
The Angels are putting together a 60 win team.