CHICAGO – Kyle Teel texted White Sox head athletic trainer James Kruk the same message after each of his four injury rehabilitation contests for Triple-A Charlotte last week.
The White Sox catcher felt ready to return to Major League action.
“I just want to play baseball,” the energetic Teel said with a smile prior to the series opener against the Guardians on Monday night at Rate Field.
This wish was granted to the 24-year-old, as he was returned from that second injury rehab assignment and activated from the 60-day injured list. Edgar Quero was optioned to Charlotte to make room for Teel on the active roster.
Teel originally was hitting third against Gavin Williams, but after rethinking the setup, manager Will Venable moved the left-handed hitter to cleanup. But Teel went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Chicago's 6-5 walk-off win.
“He’s a very capable hitter,” said Venable. “We think he’s one of our top hitters that belongs up there somewhere.”
“I've been waiting for this day for a long time,” said Teel, who looked like a kid during the holidays waiting to open his presents. “It was a grind for a while, but I'm just so grateful to be back."
While making a strong impression as a part of Team Italy during the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Teel suffered a right hamstring strain while running out a double in a game on March 10 against Team USA. Teel was optimistic for a return by the team’s first homestand, as he told MLB.com during the end of Spring Training, but the original diagnosis of four to six weeks was more realistic.
He then suffered a sprained lateral collateral ligament in his right knee on May 16 during a first rehab stint for Charlotte, with his cleat getting caught in the dirt on a swing. Moving to plastic cleats was one change made by Teel upon this return.
“They won’t get stuck,” Teel said. “I feel like I'm fresh. A lot of these guys have been playing for a long time. I'm not fatigued at all. I'm fresh, I'm ready to go."
“Very exciting,” Venable said. “Obviously he’s somebody that makes a huge impact in the middle of our lineup. And just excited, not just to have him in the lineup, but on the field. His energy when he’s playing is awesome.”
Some consider Teel as the best all-around player from the White Sox talented young core. He slashed .273/.375/.411 with 11 doubles, eight home runs, 35 RBIs, 38 runs scored and 37 walks over 78 games as a rookie in 2025, with all eight of his homers and 29 RBIs in 53 games after the All-Star break (he debuted on June 6).
That freshness is so strong for Teel that when asked Monday how many days per week he could catch, he smiled and said, “Seven.” But even if he had been healthy all season, catching seven games per week wouldn't be feasible.
“Obviously, at the catching position, you’re not going to catch every day,” Venable said. “In Kyle’s situation, where as much as we want him in there, it was maybe four games in five days in this rehab stint; the last rehab stint was cut short, his Spring Training was cut short.
“So he really doesn’t have that volume of playing and at-bats, and kind of his legs in the type of shape in which you want to go out and throw him out there every single day. We’ll be mindful of that, and at the same time, he’s here and healthy and ready to go, so we’ll see what it looks like.”
Starting at designated hitter is a possibility on days when Teel doesn’t catch, but Venable seems leery to use both catchers in the same lineup. Drew Romo remains as Teel’s backup, with Quero going for a reset with the Knights after slashing .187/.253/.233 with two home runs, 15 RBIs and 12 runs scored in 55 games this season following a stellar rookie campaign.
“I’m going down there to refocus and play more. Take more at-bats and be a little more comfortable at the plate,” said Quero, who found out of his Minor League move postgame Sunday in Detroit. “It’s part of the process, part of the game. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to come back here. It’s baseball. It can happen.
“Everybody knows what I can do in the field. I’m going down there hopefully for a couple of weeks, a month, whatever it is. Trying to come back and do my best for the team.”