Kyle Teel Makes White Sox Return at Crucial Point, Who Was Sent Down?

Drew Romo was optioned to Triple-A but will stay on the taxi squad.

Jul 5, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel (8) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Amid a series loss to the Houston Astros, the White Sox needed a shot of adrenaline to keep their division title hopes alive.

They just got one.

The Chicago White Sox have received negative production at catcher all year long. Due to Kyle Teel's unfortunate injury luck, the White Sox have had to run with combinations of Edgar Quero, Drew Romo, Jake Rogers, Reese McGuire, and Joey Bart, with little to no success.

According to the White Sox, however, Teel has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list. In a corresponding move, Romo has been optioned to Triple-A.

What Does This Mean?

Jul 10, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel (8) celebrates in the dugout after he scores during the fifth inning against the Athletics at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a promising rookie season in 2025, Teel has been significantly limited by injuries. In 2026, he has played just 19 games and has not been very efficient. A hamstring injury in the World Baseball Classic and a subsequent knee injury in a rehab assignment delayed his 2026 debut to June 22. In 70 plate appearances, Teel is slashing just .190/.271/.317 with two home runs.

On July 20, he sprained his ankle on a play at the plate and has been out since. Will Venable said recently that Teel was very close to a return, and he wasn't exaggerating. Teel will play his first major league game in over a month and be a catalyst for the White Sox down the stretch. Teel will be the starting catcher moving forward, with Rogers the surprising choice to be the backup.

While Romo was optioned to Charlotte, it's being reported that he will remain on the taxi squad and could come back up at any time. It's been an abysmal season for Romo, but he has been turning it around a little lately.

In 60 games, Romo is slashing a poor .141/.239/.288 with seven home runs. Most of that power came from the first couple of weeks. In his last 15 games, he is slashing .171/.306/.317, showing much better plate discipline than he has in the past.

Romo has also shown improved defense over the past couple of weeks, throwing out more runners and getting more efficient with his challenges. Nevertheless, they are surprisingly deciding to go with the veteran in Rogers over Romo.

And it's not as if Rogers is doing any better with the White Sox. In 12 games (30 at-bats), Rogers is slashing .133/.235/.233 with a walk-off home run on his resume.

While Teel is back, the backup to him is still a question mark as we inch closer to the postseason. Teel can't catch every game, especially with his injury history this season. We'll see if Rogers can be a true upgrade over Romo and Quero and help the White Sox in the playoffs.