Kyle Teel is finally beginning a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte, and his return could give the surging White Sox another major boost behind the plate and in the middle of the lineup.
During the weekend series against the Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel found himself running the bases to test out his lingering hamstring injury.
Teel suffered a hamstring strain in early March during the 2026 World Baseball Classic and was originally projected to have a 4-to-6 week recovery timeline. That was well over eight weeks ago now, and Teel remains on the shelf for the White Sox, chomping at the bit to return while the team sits at 19-21 on the season.
The big issue for Teel was always the baserunning. Catching and swinging have not given him any trouble, and while he's been injured, he's still been training on Chicago's Trajekt machine to maintain both of those skills. It was just a matter of getting his hamstring healthy enough to handle explosive movements on the basepaths, and of course, the White Sox wanted to take a more precautionary approach rather than risk something more serious occurring.
Hence the test over the weekend, and it's a test that Kyle Teel passed with flying colors. The White Sox announced on Sunday that Teel will finally begin his injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte this week.
The Knights begin a home series against Norfolk on Tuesday night. According to Teel in the clubhouse after Sunday's win, the plan is for him to catch his first game on Tuesday and then follow that up with an appearance as the designated hitter.
“I feel really good right now, just excited to get playing again. It's been a minute, so just looking forward to it,” said Teel.
That was the general sentiment in every answer he gave to White Sox media on Sunday. He's been on the bench watching from the sidelines while the White Sox outperform expectations, surprise most of the baseball world, and have a lot of fun doing it.
Nobody expected this team to be in second place in the AL Central on May 11. But here they are. They're also holding an AL Wild Card spot 25 percent of the way through the season. The White Sox playing with confidence, and nobody can tell them they aren't capable of competing.
Obviously, that's tough to watch from the sidelines. But Teel has been trying to find any way possible to contribute to the team while he's been away. And his eventual return, which could come within the next week, give or take a few days, will only give the White Sox another jolt.
Edgar Quero has really struggled this season and probably needs a reset to his approach and swing in the minor leagues. Drew Romo has had his moments with three (3) home runs in his first nine games in a White Sox uniform. But even so, Romo is probably better suited as the backup catcher for the White Sox for the time being.
Teel is the catcher of the future, and once he's back in the lineup, he lengthens the order even more, giving Chicago another dangerous bat.
The White Sox are about to get one of their best players back and, not for nothing, one of their clear on-field leaders as well. If Kyle Teel can hit the ground running, it's just one more reason why the White Sox may be able to sustain this success and flirt with .500 all year.