The White Sox anticipate that catcher Kyle Teel will miss between six and 12 weeks with a left high ankle sprain, manager Will Venable told reporters Tuesday (link via Scott Merkin of MLB.com). Chicago placed him on the 10-day injured list and brought up Edgar Quero this afternoon.
Teel suffered the injury on an attempted tag in last night’s win over the Rangers. It’s the second IL stint and third notable injury that the second-year backstop has suffered this year. Teel strained his right hamstring while playing for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic, leading to a season-opening IL stay. He sprained the LCL in his right knee while on a rehab assignment in May, delaying his return by another month.
The former first-rounder has made 19 appearances since begin reinstated on June 22. He’s out to a slow start, fanning in 27 of his first 70 plate appearances while hitting .190 with two home runs. Teel had hit .273/.375/.411 in 78 games last year. Whatever hope the Sox had that he’d find that rhythm as he got further removed from the first couple injuries is back on hold.
It’s a broad recovery window that might threaten the remainder of the season. A six-week rehab would have Teel back in early September. The longer end of the window would carry well into the postseason. Teams carry two extra players in September, at least one of whom must be a hitter. If Teel recovers well but the Sox are concerned about straining his ankle in a crouch, they could use that extra spot to carry him as a DH/third catcher.
The extent of the injury probably puts Chicago in the catching market. They’d otherwise be relying upon Quero and Drew Romo for the majority of the second half. Those two have combined to hit .164/.241/.267 across 299 plate appearances. Quero also has subpar grades for his pitch framing and blocking behind the dish.
Chicago holds a one-game advantage over the Guardians in the AL Central. They’re 3.5 games clear of the top non-playoff team and have the second-best run differential in the American League. A playoff berth, while a major long shot entering the season, is very much on the table. The Sox are expected to focus on pitching, especially if they can acquire arms who are under team control beyond this season.
Catcher is now the clear weak point in an otherwise deep lineup. The Sox probably aren’t going to push in significant prospect capital for Adley Rutschman, Hunter Goodman or Shea Langeliers, as Teel remains the long-term answer behind the dish. Although Ryan Jeffers is the top impending free agent, the Twins seem unlikely to move him within the division. The Sox could deal for another rental (e.g. Tyler Stephenson, Jonah Heim) or make a move for someone like Joey Bart or Elias Díaz, veterans who could be pushed off their current rosters as other players come back from injuries.
