Jenks back in a jiffy

Two pain-free minor-league rehab appearances and White Sox closer Bobby Jenks was ready To jump right back into the major-league pressure cooker.

The third leading closer in White Sox history with 105 saves was reinstated Friday from the 15-day disabled list, where he landed on July 9 with left scapula bursitis.

The Sox made room on the roster on Thursday by sending right-handed pitcher D.J. Carrasco to Triple-A Charlotte.

Asked before Friday's game against Kansas City if he was ready to close should a save situation present itself, Jenks replied without hesitating: "Yeah. I mean, I'm back. Why wouldn't I?"

In his first rehab assignment at Class A Winston-Salem on Monday, which marked the first time Jenks had pitched since June 29 when he closed out the sweep of the visiting Cubs, he surrendered 1 run on 3 singles.

In his second rehab appearance at Class AA Birmingham on Wedenesday, the 6-foot-3, 275-pound right hander notched 3 strikeouts in a scoreless inning of work.

"It went very well," Jenks said. "I went down there and got what I needed to get in, and that was just working with a hitter. My second outing was great. I got my command back right away, and I felt healthy. No pains, not nothing in there."

Jenks said he knew all was right with his shoulder after his first successful bullpen session in Texas last weekend, yet he agreed the rehab assignment was necessary.

"It felt fine there," Jenks said of the bullpen session in Arlington. "It was just command-wise, seeing hitters with that adrenaline is just completely different. My biggest concern going into those rehab starts was making sure my command was there."

Jenks is 2-0 this season with a 1.95 ERA in 32 innings. He entered Friday's series opener ranked seventh in the American League in ERA and tied for ninth in saves (18).