It's becoming increasingly vague who will start Opening Day for the Chicago White Sox.

Manager Robin Ventura doesn't believe staff ace Chris Sale will be healthy enough to throw April 6 versus the Kansas City Royals.

"He (Sale) was slated to go for Opening Day and there is a slim chance that he would be able to do that," Ventura told ESPN Chicago's Doug Padilla. "I would expect it not to be that way, but being that it's his ankle, we can treat that. It's not as though it's his elbow, where we would really be cautious."

The left-hander is expected to miss almost the entire spring due to an avulsion fracture of his right foot, an injury he suffered in an accident at his residence.

Jeff Samardzija, who was acquired in an offseason deal from the Oakland Athletics, would likely step in to pitch the opener if Sale can't.

Sale finished third in American League Cy Young Award voting last season, going 12-4 with a 2.17 ERA. He was limited to only 174 innings pitched due to a forearm flexor strain.