Lee started against a lefty on Opening Day, but Thaiss, a left-handed hitter, has played over him against righties the last two days. It was expected that Lee would be displaced as the White Sox’s starting catcher at some point this season, but we assumed it would be for Kyle Teel or Edgar Quero over the summer and not by Thaiss on the first weekend of the season.

Thaiss is on the move again in a crosstown Chicago swap just a few weeks after being shipped to the Cubs from the Angels where he batted .208/.313/.342 with 22 homers and six steals in 771 plate appearances dating back to 2019. The 29-year-old former first-round pick never quite panned out in Los Angeles and projects as merely extra catching depth for the White Sox behind starter Korey Lee until top prospects Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel are ready to ascend to the big leagues.

Thaiss was designated for assignment by the Angels last week. The 29-year-old will battle for a bench spot with the Cubs in the Cactus League with the ability to play behind the plate and first base.

The Angels needed a spot on their 40-man roster after signing Kevin Newman, and Thaiss was a more palatable choice to be let go now that Travis d’Arnaud is in town. Thaiss hit .204/.323/.299 in 57 games in 2024. He could latch on with another organization as a backup, but it’s also likely he re-joins the Angels on a minor league contract as organizational depth.