Kyle Teel appears ready to return from the injured list, forcing the White Sox to make a difficult decision with Jake Rogers and Drew Romo already sharing catching duties.
Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel appears ready to rejoin the team.
Teel played in four games for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights last week while rehabbing from his high ankle sprain, and in his most recent appearance on Sunday, Teel went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. He's now batting .357 on his current rehab assignment and has logged a good number of innings behind the plate.
Teel's return may line up directly with the calendar flipping to September and MLB roster expansion, and it creates a difficult roster decision for the White Sox.
What is Chicago to do with the current catchers on the roster once Teel returns?
Jake Rogers might have a walk-off home run, but he's also 3-for-24, batting just .125 in 10 games since joining the White Sox. Drew Romo's average for the season sits at .145, but the White Sox have clearly shown an appreciation for his defense and clubhouse presence throughout the 2026 season.
Neither catcher has stood out enough to separate himself from the other. So which one should be on the outside looking in when Teel returns? Or is it possible that the White Sox keep all three?
In some of his recent notes about White Sox players rehabbing from injury, Scott Merkin of MLB.com hinted that Teel's return could lead to the White Sox keeping three catchers on the roster in September. And perhaps that's the easy decision if the White Sox aren't ready to make a choice between Rogers and Romo.
But there's also an opportunity cost that comes with that decision. If the White Sox use one of their extra expanded roster spots on a third catcher, it's one less spot available for an arm. That's a significant tradeoff with innings at a premium over the final 26 regular season games.
Adding a starting pitcher like Drew Thorpe from the minor leagues and an additional reliever might be the best way for the White Sox to ensure they have enough innings to cover the rest of the way. Sacrificing one of those spots for a third catcher, someone like Romo, who probably wouldn't even play much with three catchers on the active roster, could be a controversial choice from Chris Getz and the White Sox front office.
These could all be make or break decisions for the White Sox season. We'll have answers in the coming days. But as Kyle Teel works his way back from injury and appears likely to be activated soon, keep an eye on what Chicago does with the rest of its catching tandem.
