MINNEAPOLIS -- As Tim Anderson sat in front of his locker at the Target Field visitors' clubhouse prior to Tuesday’s game, the usually upbeat and energetic All-Star White Sox shortstop spoke just a bit above an audible level.

Anderson’s aggravation was understandable. After missing from Aug. 6 through the end of the season in 2022 because of surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left middle finger, Anderson found himself back on the injured list with a sprained left knee. The White Sox estimate he will be out for two to four weeks.

“It’s so frustrating,” Anderson said. “You do everything right to try to prevent creating injury and [this was] just something I couldn’t control. I just have to roll with it.

“Just a weird situation. I tried to prevent it. You can’t control injury. But it definitely sucks because I know that I was doing everything I could. Everybody in the organization knows I was doing everything I could to try to stay healthy, and it just didn’t work out that way.”

Anderson's latest injury came during a botched White Sox rundown in the fourth inning of Monday’s 4-3 series-opening win over the Twins, when Matt Wallner collided with Anderson’s left leg as Wallner dove into third base. Anderson joined a growing number of White Sox injured list additions, with designated hitter Eloy Jiménez (low grade left hamstring strain) and reliever Joe Kelly (right groin strain) dealing with setbacks since the start of the season.

Third baseman Yoán Moncada will miss the Twins series with a back issue and made it sound as though he might also be absent from this week’s home series against Baltimore. If this storyline sounds familiar, know that Chicago and its fan base are trying to forget last year’s injury-riddled, underachieving campaign. But there are some positives to be taken amid this news.

Jiménez has looked good pretty much from the time he went on the IL, regularly launching home runs during batting practice and running the bases Tuesday. So, he’s a possibility to return against the Orioles.

There’s also a next-man-up mentality, with Jake Burger getting the start at third Tuesday and Romy González taking over at second. The physical setbacks are happening early and, at this point, they aren’t nearly as extensive as last season.

“Guys here are going to step up in absence of guys that are not in the lineup and help us win baseball games,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “That’s what depth does. This is where opportunity meets preparation, right? So if you prepared in the offseason, you’ve prepared in Spring Training, here’s your opportunity. Go get it.”

“We want our guys in the lineup, and it’s tough,” Burger said. “Last year and this year, you can’t look at last year and say, 'Oh, it’s going to be that way again.' Injuries happen in baseball, and you see every team with guys going on the IL.”

Grifol pointed out how Anderson has been a quick healer and said he was looking forward to the recovery from this injury being no different. Anderson tried to play through the pain for two innings Monday but it eventually stiffened, leading to the on-field absence.

“It just happened. It happened so fast. It just happened,” Anderson said. “Just stick with the same plan. Keep working. I’ll leave it at that.”

“Yes, it’s frustrating because people came to camp feeling good, and as a team, too,” Moncada said. “Not even a week into the season and we are having all these injuries. That’s the frustrating part. That we are not able to contribute to the team. Sometimes there are things you can’t control.”