Kyle Teel’s hamstring strain during the World Baseball Classic in early March was a big blow for the White Sox. Yet his injury opened the door for Edgar Quero, a talented catcher in his own right, to step into an everyday role at the beginning of the season. It was a golden opportunity to prove what he could do. Just over a month into the season, it’s now clear that he has not capitalized on that chance. His immense struggles have made it fair to question what his role will be once Teel returns…or if he will even stay in the majors at all.
Quero’s Struggles
After hitting a respectable .283 in 53 spring training at-bats, it felt like Quero was ready to take a step forward after a pretty strong rookie season. That momentum has not carried over. In 75 plate appearances this season, he is hitting .161/.274/.177 with only one extra base hit.
Quero’s metrics don’t paint a positive picture either. He ranks near the bottom of MLB in hard-hit %, barrel %, and bat speed, and would rank as the 4th-worst hitter in baseball per wRC+ if he were qualified. Simply put, he is not hitting the ball hard. His ground ball% is also 10% higher than last season and he is hitting just .190 against fastballs this season, compared to .281 last season.
Teel Injury Update
As for Teel, he is now past the original six-week expected recovery timeframe for his injury. Scott Merkin of MLB.com recently reported that although he is making progress in his recovery, he has not yet gone on a rehab assignment.
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“He missed a chunk of Spring Training and all the regular season so far. So, you want some at-bats, you want him to experience the different nuances in every game: behind the plate, baserunning and certainly the at-bats as well.” Chris Getz told Merkin.
Given the nature of hamstring injuries and Teel’s importance over the long haul, it’s understandable that the team is operating in an abundance of caution.
When healthy, Teel and Quero formed one of MLB’s more interesting young catcher tandems last season. Teel excelled against righties and Quero mashed lefties, creating a natural platoon that put up impressive numbers. Teel’s absence this season has exposed Quero’s flaws from the left side of the plate, which Getz acknowledged and attributed to part of the development process. Still, his poor start to the season has created some clouds over his status moving forward.
New Backup Catcher
The White Sox have shuffled their backup catcher situation recently as well. Veteran Reese McGuire was recently DFAed, while Drew Romo had his contract selected from Triple-A Charlotte. Romo, 24, is a switch-hitter and put up a .298/.385/.561 line with four home runs in 17 games with the Knights this season. With McGuire struggling and not part of the team’s long-term plans, it made sense to give the younger Romo a chance. Given his ability to switch hit, it’s also fair to wonder if Quero could be sent down to Triple-A to reset once Teel returns, as Romo could take Quero’s place in the lineup against lefties. It’s not out of the question considering the team used the same approach for the struggling Shane Smith earlier this season.
Big Decisions Loom
Edgar Quero just turned 23 earlier this month and is more than five years younger than the average MLB player. It feels way too early to write him off after one bad month. Yet at the same time, his performance so far is a glaring issue and hindering the team. Something has to give. Teel’s eventual return will allow Will Venable to put Quero into more favorable matchups like last season, but a stint in Triple-A feels like a potential option too. Doing so would give Quero the chance to work through his issues in a low-pressure environment without the spotlight that comes with being in MLB. His status moving forward is a storyline to watch.
