White Sox catcher Korey Lee pulls off ultra-rare dual role not even Shohei Ohtani has done

It wasn’t the type of history the Chicago White Sox were hoping to see, but Korey Lee carved out a unique place in franchise lore during Wednesday night’s 12-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field. Lee became just the third player in White Sox history to both catch and pitch in the same game, joining Frank Isbell and Sam Mertes, who accomplished the feat way back on September 28, 1902. In more than 120 years since, no White Sox player had pulled off the dual role until Lee did it in a lopsided defeat that eliminated Chicago from contention in the American League Central.

Lee initially entered the game in the seventh inning as a defensive replacement behind the plate for rookie Kyle Teel. He made a quick trip to the batter’s box, flying out to center field to end the frame. By the eighth, however, manager Will Venable handed him the ball to preserve the bullpen.

Over two innings, Lee gave up one run on four hits and two walks across 31 pitches. It wasn’t spotless, but it was serviceable under the circumstances. He even flashed some flair, mixing in a Statcast-recorded 89.5 mph fastball with a comical 42.8 mph floater that drew laughs after crossing the plate.

Korey Lee’s multi-position game was the only highlight for the White Sox on Wednesday

White Sox catcher Korey Lee pulls off ultra-rare dual role not even Shohei Ohtani has done — Matt Marton-Imagn Images

“Unfortunately when I’m pitching, bad things are happening,” Lee said after the game. “I don’t want that to happen. Just trying to help the team, save the bullpen, and so be it. We get to go on to the next day.”

The 25-year-old had to borrow gear to make it work, first using shortstop Colson Montgomery’s glove in the eighth before switching to one from All-Star pitcher Shane Smith in the ninth. “He was proud. Obviously, I thanked him for using his glove,” Lee said of Smith. “As a catcher, you throw a lot, so I think my arm is in shape for that. Just keeping it light and easy and not trying to do too much because of the situation.”

While Shohei Ohtani has redefined the modern two-way role, even he hasn’t been asked to both catch and pitch in the same game. For Lee, who grew up playing all over the field before becoming a full-time catcher, it felt like a return to his childhood. “I grew up as a kid just playing baseball. That’s what it felt like,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s still really, really hard. Kudos to all the pitchers.”

Venable praised Lee afterward for his willingness to take on the task. “Obviously you hate to be in that situation, but we’re in that situation,” the manager said. “You just hope that a guy can get through it healthy and throwing strikes. And he did a really nice job.” It was an otherwise forgettable night for the Sox, who gave up eight runs in the fifth inning and never recovered. But Lee’s name now sits in a tiny chapter of White Sox history — one that hadn’t been written in more than a century.