White Sox right-hander Nate Jones, out since June 12 with a pronator muscle strain, was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list Tuesday.
Jones threw a scoreless inning for Class A Winston-Salem Wednesday and threw live batting practice to Jose Abreu Saturday.
“He was nasty,” Abreu said.
“I even mixed some righty-on-righty changeups,’’ Jones said. “I threw strikes, and everything is feeling good. I think we are getting close.”
Manager Rick Renteria said Jones was available Tuesday when the Sox played the Royals in Kansas City, looking to snap a six-game losing streak.
“But we’re going to monitor his usage,” Renteria said. “We want to make sure we use the rest of the season to get him in ballgames and get him out through the rest of the year healthy and enter the winter in a good position and get him ready for the following season.”
Jones, 32, has a club option on his contract for next season and 2020.
“We are not promised tomorrow so you don’t know what exactly is going to go on next year,’’ he said. “Either to prove to the White Sox or another team, ‘He’s healthy and he’s back and he can pitch.’ ’’
Jones, 32, has been on the DL since June 13. He is 2-2 with a 2.55 ERA with four saves over 24 2/3 innings this season, his seventh with the White Sox.
The Sox’ active roster increases to 32 and the 40-man roster increases to 40.
