‘Taking it slowly,’ White Sox’ Rodon starts throwing

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Carlos Rodon said he started throwing the day after Christmas in preparation for spring training when the White Sox put on the brakes.

“They kind of wanted me to slow it down,” Rodon said Friday. “I am. Gotta listen, and I thought it was a good idea when they came up with the plan.”

Rodon threw a baseball for the first time during camp Friday morning, making about 30 light tosses, he said, before the rest of the pitcher and catchers came out to the field. He stretched with the others, watched them play catch and took part in pitchers fielding practice as he has all week. Once again, he didn’t even throw to second from the mound, though.

“Everything feels good. Everything feels great,” Rodon said. “I’m good. 100 percent.”

“Staying on the plan. I’ll be there.”

“The plan” is to ease the 24-year-old left-hander into the season in much the same way Chris Sale did last season. Minimal Cactus League action is expected, with most of the work on backfields this spring. Rodon said he’s still “a week or so” away from his first bullpen session, which other pitchers are doing every other day.

“We’re just going to take it slow and we’ll be there,” he said.

“We’ve got him on a different program,” manager Rick Renteria said. “We’ve got an extended amount of time for him. We’re expecting a lot from him this year, so we’re really going to control the number of bullets he throws, especially early, and then move on.”

Carlos Rodon takes part in pitchers’ fielding drills Friday.