The White Sox have badly missed Kyle Teel behind the plate, and after another setback delayed his recovery, the organization's top catcher could finally begin a rehab assignment next week.
As soon as Kyle Teel went down with a hamstring injury during the 2026 World Baseball Classic, we knew the Chicago White Sox were going to miss him greatly for however long his absence lasted. But I'm not sure anybody could have predicted just how desperate the White Sox would be for Kyle Teel's return.
Edgar Quero was supposed to take up the mantle as the everyday catcher in Teel's place. And while it was a severe hit to Chicago's depth and to their catcher of the future, it also provided Quero with an opportunity to get everyday at-bats early in the season.
In reality, Quero is batting .154 with a .419 OPS and only one extra-base hit this season. He's now rightuflly being passed over for at-bats in favor of Drew Romo, as he's been nearly unplayable from both an offensive and defensive standpoint.
Every time Edgar Quero steps onto the field, the general consensus from White Sox fans is the same: "Kyle Teel can't come back soon enough."
When Teel initially got injured and was diagnosed with a hamstring strain, the initial projection was a 4-to-6 week recovery timeline. That was announced on March 11. It's now been over eight weeks, and not only is Teel not back with the White Sox, he hasn't even started a rehab assignment yet. The setback has been large in part due to his inability to run the bases.
Fortunately, that could change soon.
Teel had a setback in his program at the end of April, but according to White Sox GM Chris Getz, he is going to be running the bases as a test this weekend. If all goes well, he should begin an injury rehab assignment next week.
Nothing is set in stone just yet, and as we've seen before, setbacks can happen. But White Sox fans should keep their fingers crossed that all goes well with Teel, because if that's the case, it won't be long before he's back with the big league club.
And right now, the White Sox could really use an infusion of talent and energy. They've dropped three games in a row and are particularly weak at the catcher position. Adding Teel would help lengthen the lineup and also get one of the team's known clubhouse leaders back in the fold every day.
A more official update regarding rehab stint plans for Kyle Teel should be available within the next few days. We'll have it here at White Sox Roundtable.