Sale scheduled for rehab outing Thursday

OAKLAND -- White Sox ace Chris Sale is scheduled to return to the mound Thursday for his first rehab start since going on the 15-day disabled list with a left flexor muscle strain in his elbow. Manager Robin Ventura said Sale is slated to throw a "short one" for Triple-A Charlotte before the team plots out his next move.

"We'll reassess that and see how he's feeling after that," Ventura said.

Big things are expected from the 25-year-old southpaw this season and he flashed his ability in his first four starts, the last of which came on April 17. Sale has a 3-0 record, 2.30 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in four starts this year, throwing at least 105 pitches each time out.

Chicago has had to do a lot of mixing and matching in recent weeks to put together a rotation without Sale and rehabbing righty Felipe Paulino (rotator cuff inflammation). The club has recently promoted Andre Rienzo (3-0, 4.56 ERA) and Scott Carroll (1-2, 3.63 ERA) from Charlotte while claiming Hector Noesi (0-2. 4.50 ERA) off waivers from the Texas Rangers.