Pregame notes: Injury updates of every variety

Of the great many Kyle Teel right hamstring updates this season, Saturday's was the rosiest, per the guy who usually has to give them.

"Certainly the closest we’ve been," said Will Venable. "That’s the last of the boxes to check, to be able to run the bases on back-to-back days and recover well before going on a rehab assignment."

Saturday's pregame work, which saw both Teel and Austin Hays participate in live at-bats against Erick Fedde at the end, was the 23-year-old catcher's first time running the bases on back-to-back days since suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain during the World Baseball Classic in March. He will run the bases again on Sunday, but everything is lining up for him to begin next week with the Charlotte Knights on a rehab assignment.

Edgar Quero and Reese McGuire's struggles have served as a testimony to Teel's value, and his place on Jim's Most Essential White Sox. At least one unassuming sportswriter is going to compare Teel's return to a trade addition, and prayers up to them because there is a good reason I would never antagonize my readers, at least not in that specific way.

Long story short, the Sox could use Teel back.

"I would argue Kyle Teel is as good a player as we have," Venable said. "You saw him last year, obviously at the plate the things he can do offensively, defensively, on the bases. He’s a really good player we’ll be excited to get back in the lineup."

Hays is not only hitting, but apparently could being running the bases himself "in the next few days" to test out his left calf, which is a more optimistic view than what was offered even just on Friday. Once he comes out of running on back-to-back days without issue, a rehab assignment would be in the offing.

But instead of that putting Randal Grichuk's role in jeopardy, he's starting against a right-handed pitcher on Saturday night because Andrew Benintendi was a late scratch with neck stiffness. Imagine being in the Sox Machine comments back in March, amid a debate about the DH role, and dropping a 'Randal Grichuk will be starting at DH by Mother's Day' on everyone. Oh man.

Chase Meidroth is playing with his sore right foot taped up, and was subbed out late Friday night to get him off of it, but he will play through it. He's often playing through things.

"I’m not sure there was an acute play or anything, just know it had kind of popped up and something we’ve been monitoring the last few days," Venable said. "Wanted to get him off his feet that last inning yesterday to make sure he could recover and be ready today, and he is."

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Everyone knows that Venable likes to mix and match the lineup, but there is a certain steadiness to some recent slotting. One things that stands out is Sam Antonacci, leadoff man...

"The way it’s going right now, he’s in a good spot there," Venable said. "He’s having really good at-bats, tough at-bat every time he steps to the plate. To have that in front of our big guy in Mune makes a lot of sense. I thought Beni was doing a good job there. But as guys are settling in and we’re looking at the lineup as it settles in holistically Antonacci leading off seems like it makes a lot of sense."

...but also, Chase Meidroth...No. 5 hitter? It's actually about diversity in offensive profiles, you Philistine.

"Not necessarily just in the five hole, but if you just look at the hitter profiles we have, going from Antonacci, kind of control the zone, contact guy, to Mune, more slug, and some swing and miss, but slug, and then Vargy and Colson and then Chase, just kind of stagger the power guys with the more of the plate discipline/contact guys, kind of gives you a nice view up front instead of stacking all types of those guys back-to-back," Venable said.

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Osvaldo Bido cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte after being designated for assignment on Friday. There could be more Bido, you just have to be patient.

First pitch: White Sox vs. Mariners

TV: CHSN

Radio: ESPN 1000 AM, 107.9 FM La Ley (Spanish)

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