John Danks threw a side session prior to Saturday's matchup with Houston that went well, according to White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper.
The lefty, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder soreness May 24 and hasn't started since May 19, is slated to make a rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday in Columbus.
"Things seem to be going well," Cooper said. "Head trainer Herm Schneider got him on the mend, and now it's getting him back into pitching shape and now he's going to get out and throw in a game."
The Sox had Danks go through a game routine on Wednesday, having him warm up and throw two innings in the bullpen. He cleared that hurdle and the one on Saturday, so the next step is at least one rehab start in the minors. Both Cooper and Robin Ventura said that could be extended to two starts in the minors before he returns.
Brent Morel's status is less clear. The third baseman pulled himself out of a minor league game on Thursday after re-aggravating his back injury and was in Chicago yesterday for further tests. Ventura is hopeful the Sox can finally get to the bottom of Morel's back issues with this latest round of examinations.
Ventura added there's no chance Dayan Viciedo will be moved back to third base any time soon, noting the Sox have options at the hot corner. It doesn't help that Viciedo himself is in the infirmary with a pair of tight hamstrings.
Viciedo says he's ready to pinch-hit on Saturday, although Ventura would rather give him the day off after he pulled himself out of Friday's game.
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"We got a long way to go, and I don't want to push it for him to go out there," Ventura said, adding that it's a nice chance for Jordan Danks to get a start. "If a guy feels he needs to pull himself out, I don't necessarily want to put him right back in there the next night if he feels it's bad enough to come out the night before."
Viciedo similarly doesn't want to take the chance of aggravating his injury further.
"Theres one thats tighter than other," Viciedo said through a translator, noting his left hamstring is the tighter of the two. "They both are tight, but its something that Im working through it right now, just being cautious. Its something that I dont want to risk anything."