White Sox' Carlos Rodon underwent successful shoulder surgery

White Sox starting pitcher Carlos Rodon underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder Wednesday, as announced by General Manager Rick Hahn Thursday afternoon. Rodon is expected to make a full recovery within 6-8 months, and will maintain a normal throwing program this offseason.

Rodon has struggled to stay healthy throughout his young career thus far, missing time in both 2016 and 2017 due to wrist and bicep injuries, respectively. However, Rodon's setbacks should not severely impact him going forward; doctors found no structural damage in his shoulder during the procedure this week.

Rodon, 24, has shown extended flashes of ace-level talent across his three big league seasons but has yet to excel across an entire season. Through 63 career starts, Rodon's numbers sit at an uninspiring 20-21 with a 3.95 ERA (4.0 FIP), and his 3.8 BB/9 is a bit alarming for a starter struggling with fastball command. However, The left-hander impressed in his 12 starts this season, compiling a misleading 4.15 ERA over 69.1 innings. His 9.9 K/9 and 8.3 H/9 were both career bests.

With the White Sox in the heart of a full-fledged rebuild, Rodon will certainly not be rushed back to the field next summer. The former first-round selection in 2014, Rodon is still considered a key part of Chicago's future in an organization filled with young pitching talent. While expectations remain lofty for the N.C. State alumnus, tensions may have eased slightly with the immediate success of pitching prospects Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito, both of which have the talent to headline a rotation if Rodon never does reaches his ceiling.