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Here's a look at who should replace the injured Carlos Rodon in the Chicago White Sox rotation to start the season.
Despite being projected to finish last in the AL Central and committed to a full rebuild, the Chicago White Sox had a clear-cut five-man starting rotation. Even after trading ace Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox, the Sox are left with Jose Quintana, Carlos Rodon, James Shields, Miguel Gonzalez and Derek Holland.
However, the Sox are expected to start the season without Rodon and will need to find a replacement. Rodon is dealing with bicep tightness, according to the Chicago Tribune. Hopefully it's not a long-term issue for the 24-year-old left-hander, but he will still miss a couple of starts, nonetheless.
While many fans might scream that they want to see highly touted prospects like Reynaldo Lopez or Lucas Giolito make a couple of starts, it's not going to happen. Rick Hahn and the Sox want to let their top prospects develop in the minors until they're ready.
Hahn did mention three potential replacements for Rodon, though – Dylan Covey, Tyler Danish and David Holmberg. All are in different stages of their careers, which makes each an intriguing option.
Here's a look and argument for each.
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Dylan Covey
Dylan Covey has never pitched above AA, but he seems like the most realistic option for the White Sox. Chicago drafted him in the Rule-5 draft this year; therefore, he needs to stay on the major league roster the whole season if the Sox want to keep him. The last time Chicago did this was with catcher Adrian Nieto in 2014.
While the Sox need to keep him on their 25-man roster, it does come with some obvious concerns. For starters, even if he had a 1.84 ERA over six starts in AA last season, the only time he has faced anything close to MLB equivalent batters came in Spring Training.
The good news is that Covey didn't pitch terribly in three starts this spring, especially on Saturday against the Cleveland Indians when he knew he was potentially pitching for a rotation spot. His ERA inflated to 6.94 because of a couple of bad relief outings, but his ERA as a starter is just 3.24.
Here's a look at his three starts during Spring Training:
He might struggle in the regular season, but he put together a solid spring for a player who has never pitched above AA. That should instill at least a little confidence in the White Sox. Besides, it ultimately makes sense if he's already going to be on the 25-man roster.
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Tyler Danish
Out of the three options, Tyler Danish is arguably the most intriguing choice. He made three relief appearances for the Sox last season, allowing two runs in 1.2 innings, and has quickly moved up the minor league ranks. The 22-year-old split time between AA and AAA in 2016, as well as being the 21st-best prospect in the organization, according to MLB.com.
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If the Sox decide to move on from Covey, then Danish is a reasonable choice after a solid spring. Danish didn't make any starts, but he compiled a 1-0 record in six relief appearances with a 3.68 ERA over 7.1 innings pitched.
His last two outings have been his worst, though. After starting the spring throwing 3.2 shutout innings, he has allowed three earned runs in his last 3.2 innings.
Plus, his stint in AAA, while brief, wasn't the best last season. In five starts and seven appearances, Danish had a 5.83 ERA and 1.67 WHIP over 29.1 innings. It's why he's expected to stay in AAA for most of the year barring injuries or another late season call-up.
While not as high-profile, Danish is still one of Chicago's better prospects, so they might not want to rush him to the majors, especially after seeing him struggle last season. That said, Danish has pitched in the majors before and looked really good for most of Spring Training. His quick rise through the minor leagues is also a sign of how much the White Sox like his potential.
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David Holmberg
This might be the most underwhelming option, but he could be who the White Sox choose if they don't want to keep Covey and feel Danish is not ready to pitch in the majors. The former Chicago draft pick has found his way back to the South Side after 14 major league appearances over three seasons.
David Holmberg isn't great, but he's pitched in the majors before. In 12 starts between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds, Holmberg compiled a 6.99 ERA and 1.735 WHIP over 55.1 innings. He also struck out 27 batters, compared to walking 32.
While it's nothing to go crazy about, Chicago at least somewhat knows what they'll get from him compared to two pitchers who have a combined 1.2 innings of major league experience.
Still, even if the White Sox don't want to rush their prospects, it might be a better option to see what Covey or Danish does instead of a 25-year-old veteran who hasn't been able to stick in the majors.
Holmberg's spring has also not been great. He hasn't made any starts and has only pitched in 3.1 innings, while having a 5.40 ERA and striking out three batters. Chicago doesn't seem extremely determined to see if he has anything left in the tank, as he's not even on their 40-man roster, but a couple of spot starts is an ideal role for a veteran looking to get his career back on track.
If the White Sox want someone who's been there before, then go with the sub-par experience of Holmberg.
