The Boston Red Sox certainly don’t regret trading for Garrett Crochet. After all, he posted a 2.59 ERA, led the MLB in strikeouts, and finished second in the Cy Young voting.
Still, Boston may be feeling some seller’s remorse over including Kyle Teel in the deal. Multiple reports, including one from The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, indicate the Red Sox have shown “repeated interest” in reacquiring Teel.
Teel was among Boston’s top prospects at the time of the trade and quickly validated that status, excelling in his first big-league season after being dealt to Chicago as part of the four-player return for Crochet.
In just 78 games, Teel established himself as one of the most productive offensive catchers in baseball during the second half, stringing together a 20-game on-base streak, the longest by a White Sox rookie since Jose Abreu, and posted a .833 OPS. He finished the season with a .273/.375/.411 slash line. He also added eight home runs, 35 RBIs, and a 12.5% walk rate.
That production is a major reason the White Sox have no interest in moving Teel and have reportedly shut down all trade inquiries. Teel will turn 24 in February and is just scratching the surface of his potential.
The fact that the Red Sox have continued to check in on Teel’s trade eligibility suggests that the rest of the league has taken notice. He’s an athletic left-handed hitter with a strong feel for the strike zone and above-average speed for a catcher, going three for four in stolen base attempts.
Teel has shown an advanced approach at the plate, consistently laying off pitches out of the zone while punishing mistakes over the heart of the plate. This was largely driven by his ability to pull the ball in the air. More than 62% of his contact came on balls hit in the air, and 20.8% of his batted balls were pulled fly balls, marks that place him among the league’s best in that area.
He also showed a knack for delivering in big spots. With runners in scoring position, the former first-round pick hit .404 with a 1.009 OPS. That included a pivotal three-run home run on Sept. 4, when the White Sox trailed the Twins 7–4 in the seventh inning, a swing that helped spark an 11–8 comeback win.Even with Korey Lee on the roster and Edgar Quero, who has also reportedly drawn trade interest this offseason, moving Teel would be difficult to justify. Fortunately for White Sox fans, it does not appear that general manager Chris Getz has any intention of dealing either catcher, as the organization continues to build toward becoming a contender.
