Floyd has another good side session

ROTATION SET FOR TIGERS

The Sox will have Jose Quintana open next week’s four-game series against the Detroit Tigers, with Jake Peavy to follow on Tuesday, Francisco Liriano on Wednesday and Chris Sale on Thursday in a rematch against Justin Verlander.

That lineup won’t change, although the rotation could change by week’s end if Gavin Floyd continues to recover well from an elbow flexor strain.

“He’s got to feel right. I don’t like sending guys out not feeling 100 percent,” manager Robin Ventura said. “I don’t want guys having reservations. As soon as he’s fit, we’ll look at where he best fits in.”

Floyd threw a second side session on Thursday that he said went well.

“I threw some sliders, changeups and fastballs. There was very minimal soreness or ache. It felt good,” he said, “better than I expected.”

Floyd said he will throw one more bullpen session on Sunday.

“I’ll throw curveballs and I think that will be the final test,” he said. “I think the plan is for me to go back in the rotation as soon as possible as long as everything goes as planned.”

Floyd said he felt no discomfort after throwing sliders. “I was a little apprehensive because the last time I threw sliders, every time I threw it bothered me. So it was nice to throw some sliders and have no pain.”

THINKING OF MCCARTHY

Catcher A.J. Pierzynski is one of the few Sox who played with pitcher Brandon McCarthy, who is recovering from head surgery after being struck in the head by a line drive while pitching for Oakland on Wednesday.

“I texted him. He’s a friend of mine,” Pierzynski said. “You never want to see a guy get hurt. You never want to see someone hit in the head. It’s a shame. I wish him a speedy recovery and I hope he gets back.”

McCarthy had surgery to relieve pressure from an epidural hemorrhage, brain contusion and skull fracture caused when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of the bat of Los Angeles Angel Erick Aybar.