Frequently Asked Questions
How is Kyle Teel performing on ABS challenges in the postseason?
Teel has successfully overturned seven of his eight ABS challenges this postseason, the most of any catcher in the playoffs. His 88% success rate ranks among the best in the playoffs.
How bad were the White Sox at ABS challenges before Teel came back?
Entering the postseason, the White Sox had the worst ABS challenge success rate in all of baseball at just 49.3%, making them the only team in MLB below the 50% mark. Teel himself posted a 54% success rate during the regular season despite being limited by injuries.
What injuries kept Kyle Teel out of games during the regular season?
Teel dealt with hamstring and ankle injuries that limited him to just 39 games during the regular season. Despite the missed time, he showed no signs of rust when it came to reading the strike zone.
What is the White Sox postseason pitching strategy and how does Teel fit into it?
Manager Will Venable has leaned heavily on openers and bullpen games, making the White Sox the first team in MLB history to have its starting pitcher work four innings or fewer in each of its first four postseason games. With so many different arms taking the mound, Teel's ability to steal strikes through smart ABS challenges has become a critical part of navigating each game.
What was Kyle Teel's biggest ABS challenge moment of the postseason?
In Game 1 of the ALDS, with the White Sox leading 3-0 in the seventh inning, Teel successfully challenged a 2-1 ball to Steven Kwan and flipped it into a strike. Grant Taylor then induced an inning-ending double play on the very next pitch, a sequence that lowered Cleveland's win probability by 6%.
Mitchell Kaminski
I’m a Bradley University Sports Communication graduate with five years covering the Chicago White Sox and experience broadcasting for ESPN-partnered Bradley Athletics. I’ve worked as a radio play-by-play announcer in Missouri and currently serve as a TV reporter for ABC 17 News in Columbia.
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