White Sox Injury Updates: Teel This Week? Murakami Trending Up, Hicks Back

After surprisingly dropping two straight against the Detroit Tigers, the Chicago White Sox got a little pick-me-up.

The team shared some promising injury updates on Sunday morning for several key contributors. The first came in regards to relief arm Jordan Hicks, who was officially added back to the big league roster following his rehab assignment. To make room for him, Tyler Davis was optioned back to Charlotte.

One of the Sox' fastest throwers, Hicks' last appeared in a game on May 20. The veteran offseason acquisition suffered a lat strain and has been working his way back since. To be sure, Hicks has left something to be desired out of the bullpen thus far. He has only a 5.60 ERA in his 20 outings, allowing 17 walks to 15 strikeouts.

Nevertheless, Hicks' stuff is undeniable and will only give the Sox some more juice in the middle innings and late-game situations. Especially if he can get his command under control, Hicks could turn into a key experienced arm for a Sox squad trying to crack the postseason.

So ... who else did the Sox get some good news on?

Kyle Teel and Munetaka Murakami are Progressing

Jun 13, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Murakami has been out since incurring an injury at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Will Venable provided updates before Sunday's season finale on both Munetaka Murakami and Kyle Teel.

The former is said to be making "lots of good progress" with his hamstring strain. He shared with Scott Merkin of MLB.com that he would say Murakami is about 80 percent with his running and is increasing the intensity of his hitting. All good news.

Murakami has been out since May 29 after taking the baseball world by storm. The Japanese slugger was in the race for the league's most home runs, hitting 20 in his first 57 games of action. Despite missing all this time, he is still Top 6 in homers this season (tied with teammate Colson Montgomery).

Once again, the Sox have fared surprisingly well in Murakami's absence. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't want him back in the lineup ASAP. Murakami is the kind of star bat you need to lock in a postseason spot. He was a difference-maker to start the year, and there is no reason to believe he will not continue to be upon his return.

Speaking of potential difference-makers, the Sox may also be on the verge of a long-awaited 2026 debut. Kyle Teel is on the brink of receiving the green light from the Sox' medical staff. When asked whether the second-year catcher could be in the lineup at Rate Field on Monday night, Venable told Scott Merkin, "It's a possibility."

Teel has yet to appear in any big league game this season after hurting his hamstring in the World Baseball Classic. While the hope was that he would return practically a month ago, Teel faced a setback and was forced to spend more time on the sideline. However, Teel was finally able to start his rehab assignments earlier this week, even hitting a home run in his first at-bat.

Teel still has plenty to prove at the Major League level, but he showed immense promise during his rookie season with a .273 batting average in his 78 games. The catching position has also proven to be quite underwhelming this season, as fellow second-year backstop Edgar Quero has struggled to replicate his rookie year. As for Drew Romo, he got off to a decently hot start before cooling off quickly.

Adding Teel back into an everyday role will only push this young group's ceiling higher. He offers another strong power swing that should only help this squad double down on their slugging identity. As long as he can stay healthy, Teel could truly be one of the Sox' most important bats down the stretch.

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