CHICAGO -- Zach Putnam had a second opinion concerning the ulnar neuritis in his right elbow that placed the White Sox reliever on the disabled list Tuesday. General manager Rick Hahn said the second opinion didn't tell them anything different from the first, and that surgery was one of the options being examined.
"It's possible. But again, we are exploring all the options," Hahn said. "We want to make sure we have all the possibilities laid out before us. It's just one of the things we are considering."
Putnam's last appearance came Monday night at Fenway Park, when he walked the bases loaded with nobody out in the ninth inning of a tied game. Zach Duke and the White Sox were able to escape that jam unscathed and went on to claim an extra-innings victory over the Red Sox.
Over 25 appearances, Putnam posted a 2.30 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings. Putnam features a 2.82 ERA in 123 career games with the White Sox, including six saves, with 140 strikeouts over 130 2/3 innings.
"Still parceling through the options," Hahn said. "At this point, we don't have a specific timeframe for him."
• Austin Jackson, who had surgery to repair a medial meniscus tear in his left knee, is on crutches for two weeks and then will have a follow-up MRI at the four-week mark.
"After that follow-up MRI, we'll have a little better feeling for a timeline for a potential return," Hahn said.
• Justin Morneau, who joined the White Sox via a one-year, $1 million deal with incentives, continues to work his way back from offseason surgery to repair the primary flexor in his left elbow.
"We are probably not too far away from announcing a rehab assignment at some point, and then we will have a little better feel for a precise return date," Hahn said. "We are still looking the other side of the All-Star break, but perhaps not too far thereafter."