Dylan Covey has spent enough time on the disabled list to know that he has no desire to return to it.
That’s why the White Sox right-hander didn’t squawk when he was removed in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game against the Athletics with soreness near his hip. Covey said prior to Tuesday’s game against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field that the early departure “was kind of a precautionary thing.”
That caution appears to have paid off as Covey threw a regular bullpen session Tuesday and afterward said, “everything felt great. Unless something weird happens, I’ll be good to go. That’s the plan.”
That means Covey, who is going through a bit of a breakthrough season, will likely make his regular start Friday against the Rangers in Texas.
“I feel good; I feel healthy,” said Covey, who is 3-2 with a 3.45 earned-run average in eight starts this season. “I think it was just a little hiccup. I spent a lot of time on the DL last year so I wanted to avoid it at all cost.
“If something doesn’t feel right on the mound, I’m aware of it and it’s probably a good thing to get me out of there when they did before anything more serious happened to it,” he added.
Said Sox manager Rick Renteria: “He feels he’s 100 percent. (Pitching coach Don Cooper) saw his side today (and) he says there’s no problem. (Covey) didn’t feel it. So right now, we’re going as normal.”