Teel 'pumped' to play for Team Italy at World Baseball Classic

CHICAGO – Kyle Teel will be part of Team Italy during the 2026 World Baseball Classic, as confirmed by the White Sox catcher Friday during Day 1 of SoxFest Live at the Ramova Theatre.

The possibility first came to Teel when talking toward the end of last year with Drew Butera, who was the White Sox catching coach at the time.

“He was saying how he was coaching for Team Italy. I was like, ‘I’m half Italian,’” Teel said. “I’m 50% Italian, and being able to represent my culture is really awesome.”

Team Italy and Teel will be part of the initial bracket played in Houston, a pool that includes Team USA. He’ll miss part of Spring Training, but he is looking forward to the opportunity of working with Jorge Posada and Francisco Cervelli, accomplished catchers who are part of the Italy coaching staff.

“Be a sponge around those guys and learn as much as I can. It’s going to be huge,” Teel said. “Yeah, I’m pumped. I’m really looking forward to getting out there and meeting guys on the team and competing and playing to win.”

A bigger Teel
One of the more noticeable things during Friday’s media session was the 20 pounds of muscle mass Teel put on during the offseason.

“Yes, that was a big focus in this offseason,” Teel said. “Understanding that you’ve got 162 and hopefully more. It’s just putting the size on will help me all season, and it definitely helps with the power as well.”

What was his secret to physical growth? A great deal of food, Teel said with a wry smile.

“I just eat everything I see,” Teel said. “But I mean, for real, I put a lot of time into the weight room. A lot of time. I don’t plan to stop that either. I think that’s important.”

The Murakami factor
It was just two or three days after Munetaka Murakami agreed to a two-year, $34 million deal with the White Sox when right-handed starter Davis Martin received one of his baseball cards to sign upon arriving from Japan. The White Sox moving to the international stage is real with the Murakami addition.

“It was almost immediate,” Martin said. “You look at the guy, his highlights from the ‘23 WBC, look what he can do for a lineup as a starting pitcher, you are drooling. This guy can change the game at any swing, at any time.

“Stick that in the lineup in between Teel, in between [Chase] Meidroth, Colson [Montgomery], [Lenyn] Sosa, it’s kind of hard not to get a little fired up to watch it. We are really excited.”

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers’ ace and World Series Most Valuable Player, contacted Miguel Vargas, his former teammate in Los Angeles, to give him the lowdown on Murakami. The reports were outstanding.

“He said he’s a great dude,” Vargas said. “He said he was good. He said he’s got pop. Hopefully we enjoy that.”

Life without Robert
There will be a new center fielder for the White Sox on Opening Day for the first time since 2019, with Luis Robert Jr. traded to the Mets.

“It’s going to be different. It’s going to be weird. Not seeing 88 in the outfield, I’m sure Sox fans feel the same way,” Martin said. “I wish all the best to him.

“We were texting for a little bit, and [I] told him I would give him one free fastball down the middle before I start throwing sliders and changeups to him, and he appreciated that. I’m excited for what he gets to do, but also for what [Luisangel] Acuña can do bringing him into the fold.”

For openers …

Shane Smith is the logical choice for 2026 White Sox Opening Day starter. But the All-Star wasn’t revealing any information on Friday.

“I know the game is in Milwaukee,” a smiling Smith said. “That’s all I know.”