Pitching Coach Cooper: Sale's Progressing, While Jones Still 'Just Hurting'
(CBS) White Sox ace Chris Sale is progressing well in his recovery from a strained flexor muscle in his throwing arm, pitching coach Don Cooper told the Mully and Hanley Show on Wednesday morning, though no there's no certain timetable for his return.
"Chris played catch yesterday, felt a bit better," Cooper said. "First of all, this is something that's happened the last two years, and we've taken the time and given him the time to get well, get right and continue his path to possible greatness -- because he's pretty dang good. The greatness is a continuation of what he's been doing. We're not going to continue that process, though, until he's ready to go.
"Feeling better. He's going to long toss today, and really we're going to take it day by day, seeing how he's going.
"We're certainly listening hard to him."
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Don Cooper on the Mully and Hanley Show
It was announced early last week that Sale went on the DL, though the move was retroactive to April 18. Sale had discomfort in the arm after a 127-pitch outing on April 17 against the Red Sox. An ensuing MRI found no ligament damage, the team has said.
Sale is 3-0 with a 2.30 ERA this season. This has marked the first trip to the DL for the 25-year-old Sale in his career.
Unlike Sale, White Sox reliever Nate Jones isn't feeling as good in his recovery from a strained left hip that bugged him in spring training and at the season's start. Jones has appeared in just two games this year, failing to record an out.
"It was a little bit more than what everybody thought initially," Cooper said. "So he's hurting. He's doing everything in his power, seeing doctors, going here and going there and getting treatment. And he's just hurting. So we've got to get that hurt out. He's a little further down the road.
