CHICAGO -- White Sox relievers Nate Jones and Zach Putnam both played catch on Thursday, an encouraging first step in a return from the disabled list.
Jones is out retroactive to May 1 with right elbow neuritis, while Putnam was sidelined retroactive to April 23 with right elbow inflammation.
"I'm just thankful with the medicine and time off that I had that it feels as good as it does now," Jones said. "We are progressing a little bit. You know how I am. I don't like to jump the gun. I just take it one day at a time. We will just finish this task at hand today and see how it feels during and then see how it reacts tomorrow."
"I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. I'm trying to take it day by day here," Putnam said. "It's going to be this whole process, it's going to be hinging on how I feel each time I go out and throw. Today was good, and next time out [I'll] try to build off of that."

Both right-handers threw off flat ground in the 45-foot range and extended it out to somewhere around 60 feet. Jones might be a little ahead of Putnam, with Jones having thrown Wednesday as well, but if there are no setbacks, they could return by the start of June.
"It's a good place to start," Putnam said.
"Knock on wood, it has been good," Jones said. "It has been very good."