White Sox catcher Kyle Teel practicing patience in comeback from hamstring injury

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For all the development Kyle Teel has missed out on over the first few weeks of the season as he recovers from a strained hamstring, the White Sox’ prized catcher has learned at least one lesson.

“Patience is important, because it can get frustrating,” an exasperated Teel said Sunday.

Tuesday will mark six weeks since he went down with the hammy in the World Baseball Classic for Team Italy. That had been the high end of the initial estimate for him to return to action after the Grade 2 strain.

There had been hope that Teel would head out for a minor-league rehab assignment as early as Monday, but he’s not quite back to full strength. Manager Will Venable said they’d reevaluate after they return to Chicago Thursday night.

“We're not sure yet when I'm going out,” Teel said. “It's just strengthening the muscle. It's still fairly weak,” Teel said. “Hopefully within the next week or two, I have a big jump… Right now, I can swing and I can catch, but running is tough.”

It’s the first major injury the 24-year-old has dealt with in his young career, and he wants to get back on the field “a ton, man.”

“It's tough not playing every day,” the ever-earnest New Jersey native said. “It's what I love to do.”

Benintendi back on the bench

After hitting two doubles Friday and his first home run of the season Saturday, veteran Andrew Benintendi was out of the starting lineup against A’s lefty Jeffrey Springs.

The Sox’ $75 million left-handed slugger has platooned in left field and at designated hitter as he’s lost a step in the field following Achilles injuries. But he’s swung a stronger bat over the past week (.830 OPS), with his West Sacramento hits coming from the leadoff spot.

“We've been toying around with leg-kicking now, so just trying some new things,” Benintendi said. “Hopefully, it keeps trending that way.”

He hopes it keeps trending through a revitalized batting order that has started finding its groove against the Athletics.

“I don't think you could have started off colder than we did, so we all knew it'd come around at some point. So now it's just trying to sustain it,” he said.

Shane looking sharper

Demoted Opening Day starter Shane Smith turned in five scoreless innings Saturday in his second start at Triple-A Charlotte, striking out five, walking two and surrendering only one single.

Smith also hit two batters and threw 46 of his 83 pitches for strikes, touching 99 mph with the four-seam fastball that eluded him in three ugly starts this spring with the Sox (12 runs in 8 ⅓ innings).

His first start last week for the Knights was erratic, but general manager Chris Getz says the 2025 All-Star is on a trajectory back toward the big-league rotation.

“He was very open that what he’s been doing is not good enough,” Getz said. “He was disappointed, of course. But it was very clear he was ready to get to work. He's gone down there and done just that.”

Roster churn

The Sox added veteran right-handed reliever Osvaldo Bido to the active roster a day after claiming him off waivers from the Braves, and optioned lefty Doug Nikhazy to Triple-A Charlotte after he gave up a run in two innings during his first Sox appearance Friday.

Bido is already the 38th player to suit up for the Sox a few weeks into another roster-churning season.