Injuries to Kyle Teel and Brooks Baldwin gift larger role to these 3 White Sox players

With just two weeks to go until the start of the regular season, the White Sox have been a relatively healthy team this spring. Early oblique injuries to Everson Pereira and Andrew Benintendi have passed and both have returned to the lineup, while the pitching staff has only dealt with minor setbacks. The most significant injury news for the White Sox came earlier this week, when starting catcher Kyle Teel strained his hamstring during Team Italy’s upset win over Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. The injury is expected to sideline Teel for the first two to four weeks of the regular season, and combined with elbow soreness for outfielder Brooks Baldwin, could provide these three players with a bigger role to start the season. 

C Edgar Quero 

This one seems obvious, but Teel’s injury should thrust Quero into the starting role to begin the season. He figured to get significant at bats anyway, but a good chunk of that may have come at DH. Now, he’ll likely start four or five days a week behind the plate, and the White Sox will be able to use the DH to rotate in some other players. Quero had some promising moments during his rookie season, but the 22 year-old was unable to consistently drive the ball or hit for much power. He prioritized bat speed and launch angle in his offseason training and has produced strong spring results to show for it. It’ll be a good opportunity for Quero to take his leap forward, but the White Sox are certainly at their best when Teel is in the lineup. 

IF Curtis Mead 

Curtis Mead departed the White Sox for Team Australia a couple weeks ago as a longshot to make the big league roster. With the team unable to find a taker for Lenyn Sosa this offseason, it seemed likely that they’d hang onto Sosa and be forced to cut ties with Mead, who posted a .584 OPS in 41 games with the White Sox down the stretch last season. But the injuries to Teel and Baldwin have reversed the fortunes for Mead, who’s had a strong spring. With the DH slot now open, Lenyn Sosa may find his way into the lineup regularly, leaving a spot on the roster for another infielder. Luisangel Acuna can play infield, but the team seems to be leaning toward him being their primary center fielder. A spot for Mead on the roster seems to have opened up, and he’ll get another chance to tap into the upside the White Sox saw when they first traded for him. 

OF Jarred Kelenic 

Added this offseason as a non-roster invite, Jarred Kelenic initially needed a huge spring to put him in consideration for an outfield role. While he’s impressed with his exit velocities and played solid defense, the results at the plate haven’t quite been there so far. It may not matter though. If Brooks Baldwin begins the year on the injured list, it leaves the White Sox with potentially two outfield slots open for the likes of Everson Pereira, Kelenic, and Derek Hill. White Sox coaches have been high on Pereira all spring, so they’re unlikely to try to pass him through waivers. Kelenic can be option, while Hill cannot, but the White Sox may still prefer to keep Kelenic’s upside on their roster over a veteran journeyman like Hill. It’s not a guarantee, and Kelenic could still open the year in Charlotte, but his chances of making the roster look much better than they did a week ago.