Kyle Teel could be seen grimacing behind his facemask as he reached for Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran on a play at the plate. Moments later, the Chicago White Sox catcher needed assistance as he gingerly walked off the field.
Teel was attempting to make the tag after Evan Carter’s second-inning single sent Duran racing home in the second inning. As he received the throw, Teel’s metal cleat appeared to get caught in the dirt while he twisted to apply the tag.
The injury is particularly concerning given that it appeared to be non-contact and comes after Teel had already missed significant time with leg issues.
The 24-year-old catcher was reinstated from the 60-day IL in June after missing the first 76 games of the season due to a right hamstring strain suffered in the World Baseball Classic. What was initially expected to be a multi-week absence stretched into a much longer recovery after Teel sprained the lateral collateral ligament in his knee during a rehab assignment.
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Adding insult to injury is the White Sox current catcher situation. Teel’s early exit left Drew Romo as the only active catcher on the roster, with Sam Antonacci next on the depth chart as the emergency backup catcher.
If Teel is placed on the injured list, Edgar Quero and Korey Lee would likely be the next men up from Triple-A Charlotte. But regardless of who is called up, Teel’s absence from the lineup would put the White Sox at a significant deficit offensively.
Romo is hitting .130 with a 26 percent strikeout rate and a .527 OPS. Quero was already optioned once this season after slashing .187/.253/.233 with two homers and 15 RBIs to start the season.
While Lee has connected for 13 homers and is posting a .805 OPS in the minor leagues this season, his previous MLB track record doesn’t inspire much confidence.
If Teel is set to miss a significant amount of time, it may force the White Sox to trade for additional catcher depth ahead of the trade deadline. For a team with postseason aspirations, failing to find a capable replacement could become a costly setback in their push for the AL Central title.
