CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- A month into the season, the White Sox are showcasing quality progress in some aspects of their rebuild and encountering serious concerns in other areas.
Shortstop Tim Anderson has been the biggest bright spot, as he was named the American League Player of the Month on Thursday. On the flip side, the state of the team's starting rotation is in peril.
Left-hander Carlos Rodon is set to undergo further examination after hitting the injured list with inflammation in his throwing elbow. The worry is real, with the White Sox not ruling out Tommy John surgery for him. Right-hander Lucas Giolito just came off the injured list after a rocky start to the season that included a hamstring strain. Entering Thursday, the team's rotation had a 5.32 ERA, the third-worst mark in MLB.
Even before the Rodon injury news, the front office had been disappointed with the progress of its pitchers.
"That has been one of the biggest frustrations," general manager Rick Hahn said.
"We had the great start by Reynaldo Lopez the other night, and Giolito has made some strides. Losing Carlos now and getting (Ivan) Nova back on track, there are going to be some challenges in front of us in order to have the type of rotation we want to have."
None of the White Sox's starters have performed well early. Rodon has a 5.19 ERA. Giolito had a 5.30 ERA entering Thursday. Lopez carries a 6.03 ERA. Nova is the worst of the remaining group, with an 8.33 ERA. Veteran right-hander Ervin Santana was recently released after posting a 9.45 ERA in three starts.
The White Sox's hope was for Rodon to emerge as an ace. Instead, he's likely to be out an extended period of time. Right-hander Dylan Covey will take his place in the rotation.
Hahn emphasized those struggles and the injury adversity won't change the White Sox's long-term approach. They'll continue to move their top pitching prospects along in conjunction with their development, not a need at the big league level. Notably, 23-year-old right-hander Dylan Cease won't be rushed. He was dominant in 2018 and has impressed at Triple-A Charlotte with a 3.33 ERA, 1.15 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings across five starts.
"We do have some options in the organization," Hahn said. "To stem off the Dylan Cease question, no one is going to be promoted to Chicago simply because there is a need in Chicago. Dylan's timeline will not be affected in any way as to what happens to Carlos. It will only be affected by what happens to Dylan."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
