White Sox closer Liam Hendriks set for second live BP session Friday

White Sox notebook items: Hendriks, Sox catchers, Joe Kelly, Elvis Andrus, Billy Hamilton.

SHARE White Sox closer Liam Hendriks set for second live BP session Friday
White Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks is slated to pitch live batting practice Friday at Comerica Park in Detroit.

White Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks is slated to pitch live batting practice Friday at Comerica Park in Detroit.

Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

DETROIT — Liam Hendriks is slated to pitch live batting practice Friday at Comerica Park — possibly the All-Star reliever’s final step before rejoining the White Sox.

Hendriks, who’s working his way back after being cleared of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, impressed manager Pedro Grifol in his last live session Monday in Cleveland.

“As soon as he throws it, we’ll take a look at it, sit down as an organization and see where we go,” Grifol said.

Hendriks wouldn’t be activated until Monday at the earliest, when the Sox return home to play the Angels. Grifol repeated that Hendriks won’t be rushed back.

“It all depends on how he looks [Friday], the progression that he’s made, where he feels he is, how his body feels, where we feel he is. We’re going to make sure he’s ready to go and be the Liam Hendriks we all want him to be and he wants to be.”

Balancing act with Zavala, Grandal

Seby Zavala caught Lucas Giolito on Thursday for the 10th time in Giolito’s 11 starts — no coincidence because they work well together, according to Giolito. But Grifol said Yasmani Grandal not catching for a second straight day was more about “wanting to keep both guys going” as a tandem.

Grandal will continue to get the bulk of the work and could catch the remaining three games of the Tigers series.

“It was just a manager’s decision,” Grifol said. “Seby did a good job [catching in a 6-0 victory over the Guardians on Wednesday]. I wanted to get him in there today — I wanted to keep both those guys going. And I believe they’re a tandem together and doing a good job.”

Grandal was batting .279/.347/.434 with four homers. Zavala was batting .158/.198/.250 but is better defensively.

“I don’t want to leave one guy on the bench and not play for a week,” Grifol said. “I want to keep them both healthy, both going.”

Kelly’s zing thing

Reliever Joe Kelly, who “got a weird zing” in his left hamstring while making a play on a tap in front of the mound Tuesday in Cleveland, was expected to be available Thursday but was not used.

Kelly strained the same hamstring running onto the field during a bench-clearing incident in Pittsburgh in April. In Cleveland, he was checked by Sox training staff and finished a scoreless inning.

“Only happens when I get in awkward situations, know what I mean?” Kelly said. “That’s what happens when you’re 34, about to turn 35. Young in the real world but not here.”

Kelly made a good play off the mound Tuesday, but “when I went down to pick up the ball and went sidearm, I flew open and got a weird zing. But it’s all right.”

Andrus eyes rehab next week

Infielder Elvis Andrus (left oblique) anticipates he’ll go on a minor-league rehab assignment early next week with the expectation of returning by Friday, when the Sox open a weekend home series against the Tigers. He has been durable in his career and is unfamiliar with oblique injuries.

“First time, so that’s why I’m being very cautious with it,” Andrus said. “Strange water, so trying to be smart. Especially with the team playing good right now, no reason to rush it.”

• Outfielder Billy Hamilton, on the injured list since May 10 with a strained left hamstring, is rehabbing at the Sox’ training complex in Arizona.

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