Rick Renteria: White Sox To Take Cautious 'Long Road' In Carlos Rodon's Recovery

(670 The Score) One of the biggest question marks surrounding the White Sox as the new season approaches is the long-term health outlook for left-hander Carlos Rodon, who's viewed as a key piece of the team's rebuild but who is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder last September.

At that time, the White Sox announced Rodon's timetable for a recovery would be six to eight months. It now appears his return is most likely around the eight-month mark.

"As an organization, we're looking at it from the standpoint that we're not going to rush him," manager Rick Renteria said on the Mully and Hanley Show on 670 The Score on Thursday. "Here's a young man who's a pivotal piece hopefully moving forward with us in the organization, a young man that we know when he's out there and he's right, he's so impactful. So we'll take the long road."

The 25-year-old Rodon didn't debut in 2017 until late June after experiencing biceps bursitis. He went on to post a 4.15 ERA in 69 1/3 innings before being shut down in early September.

"If he happens to be ready earlier, so be it, but I think we're taking the long road," Renteria said. "And we're going to make sure when he gets out there, he's ready. Everything went successfully (with surgery), all the cleaning up and what have you. We're not too concerned about that. It's just a matter of making sure he's on good footing and ready to perform."