Confusing White Sox Roster Decision Actually Makes Perfect Sense

Prior to Tuesday night’s game against the Texas Rangers, the Chicago White Sox made a roster move to account for Kyle Teel’s injury.

Teel was placed on the 15-day IL with a left ankle sprain, and catcher Edgar Quero was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

Quero was sent down by the White Sox back in June so that he could receive regular at-bats and make the necessary adjustments to his swing. He just hadn’t looked like himself in Chicago in 2026, and those struggles have only continued since Quero was sent down.

In 61 at-bats for the Charlotte Knights, he was hitting .230 with a .594 OPS before being recalled.

It leaves many White Sox fans wondering why Quero was Chicago’s choice to replace Kyle Teel. Sure, he has the highest ceiling among the organization’s MLB-ready catchers, and he has experience against MLB pitching. But the tandem of Quero and Drew Romo has already proven to be ill-equipped for the task. Neither one has looked like a competent big leaguer in 2026. So why not try something new?

The White Sox have 27-year-old catcher Korey Lee in Charlotte with 13 home runs and an .805 OPS on the season. They also have Michael Turner, a 27-year-old catcher who was a ninth-round pick out of Arkansas in the 2022 MLB Draft. Turner has enjoyed a breakout season and is currently batting .311 with an .881 OPS.

Turner is a player that has absolutely caught my eye, but we can't forget about the roster math at play here.

Chicago’s 40-man roster currently sits at 38 players. The White Sox have some spots available and they probably want to keep it that way as we sit less than two weeks away from the MLB trade deadline. Right now, Chicago can make trades and improve the MLB roster without needing to designate anyone for assignment.

Quero is already on the 40-man roster, so promoting him comes without consequence. But if the White Sox don’t see Korey Lee or Michael Turner as a long-term fit at the catcher position, why use a 40-man roster spot on either of them now? There could be an addition coming at the trade deadline that would leave the White Sox with an overcrowded catcher room and up to five catchers on the 40-man roster. That's not sustainable or wise management of the bigger picture. 

By opting for Quero over Lee or Turner, the White Sox maintain their organizational depth while preserving maximum roster flexibility.