Setback for Peavy: Rotator cuff tendinitis

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Jake Peavy has shoulder tendinitis and will shut down from his normal routine the next couple of days.

Peavy, making a comeback from a torn lat near his throwing shoulder, said Sunday morning that he hopes to make his scheduled start Thursday against the Cubs, but that is highly unlikely. The White Sox have allowed their highest-paid player and a key piece to their starting rotation to go full steam ahead this spring, but this is his first setback.

“I’m not going to say it’s a setback because we don’t know what it is yet,” Peavy said. “But certainly things have slowed down.”

Peavy was examined by doctors and trainer Herm Schneider Sunday morning and is taking anti-inflammatories, he said. The Sox said Peavy’s soreness was not related to the detached latissimus dorsi muscle. But it’s in the vicinity, in the rotator cuff.

Peavy threw 83 pitches over 5 2/3 innings against the Oakland A’s on Saturday, allowing three runs on seven hits with no walks. His velocity was slightly lower than usual, but he was coming off a serious, two-day bout with stomach flu and was considered iffy for his start because he wasn’t physically strong as usual.

After his outing against the A’s, he said his shoulder was “achy” but that it felt better as he went along. He described it Saturday as normal soreness.

“It’s kind of a culmination of start after start after start,” Peavy said Sunday. “Getting a little more uncomfortable as I’ve kept going. I want to nip it in the bud.”

Doctors tole Peavy the next 48 hours “will be a telling tale.”

“I pitched for a long time without any setbacks. Once you start going at game speed, things can pop up,” he said. “We’ll evaluate the situation in the next couple of days and see where we go from there.”

Peavy is slated to start the Sox’ fifth game, April 6 in Kansas City. Phil Humber, who has pitched well this spring, is considered a good bet to take the fifth spot if Peavy isn’t ready.