After pitching his final workout at U.S. Cellular Field, Jake Peavy will embark on a minor-league rehabilitation assignment that could have him joining the White Sox on Aug. 28, or even as early as Aug. 23 if he feels fine after two rehab starts.
“We’re going to take it start by start, listen to what he’s saying, look at the reports, how he’s throwing the ball and how he’s feeling,” pitching coach Don Cooper said Saturday after Peavy threw a 52-pitch session. “But nobody knows him better than him. Certainly his input, we’re taking that into account.”
Cooper said Peavy could make his Sox debut Aug. 23 against Baltimore if he feels strong enough after starts Thursday at Triple-A Charlotte and Aug. 18 at an undetermined affiliate.
There’s also the possibility Peavy would need more time, which would push his first Sox start back to Sept. 3 against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Peavy said he felt pain-free after throwing Saturday. He pitched from the full windup and stretch positions with players in the batter’s box. Peavy also performed fielding drills to test the right ankle that has sidelined him since mid-June.
“The biggest thing is I have to build the pitch count up, build my endurance, arm strength, and sharpness,” Peavy said. “When all that comes together, I’ll make a start here. But everything is tentative as of now.”
Manager Ozzie Guillen said Peavy won’t be treated with kid gloves when he joins the Sox.
“He makes a lot of money, we traded a lot of people for him,” Guillen said. “He has to pitch.”
General manager Ken Williams was open to Peavy needing anywhere from two to four rehab starts and that he wouldn’t judge Peavy based solely on statistics.
“The results down there don’t matter at all,” Williams said.
Williams believes Peavy will have an infectious influence on the rotation.
“He’s one of the toughest guys you’ll run up against,” Williams said. “We’re adding a talent to the team but also another winner, another competitive guy with [Mark] Buehrle who can aid the development of our young pitchers.”
