Peavy has right stuff; debut may be days off

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Updated: June 7, 2011 12:43AM

Jake Peavy pitched six perfect innings — and one far from perfect — in a 100-pitch outing for the Class AAA Charlotte Knights on Thursday night.

The 2007 National League Cy Young Award winner hopes the rehab start against the host Toledo Mud Hens was his last in the minors. He’ll rejoin the White Sox in Seattle today and could start Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., if his right shoulder
and surgically repaired latissimus dorsi muscle continue to feel OK.

Peavy’s return to the rotation probably would send Phil Humber to the bullpen. Humber has a 2.67 ERA in five starts in Peavy’s place.

Peavy set out to throw 100 pitches and seven innings, which is exactly what he did. He threw 71 for strikes. In a rocky third inning, he ­allowed five runs and four hits, including a home run to Ryan ­Strieby.

He breezed through the other six innings, each three-up, three-down, and finished with five strikeouts and one walk. He struck out the last two batters he faced on seven pitches.

According to the stadium radar gun, Peavy’s fastest pitch was 93 mph. Most of his fastballs were in the upper 80s.

‘‘My hopes are up now
because everything seems to be going in a better direction,’’ Sox pitching coach Don
Cooper said.

‘‘He’s got a chance to be with us five, six days from now. Right now it looks like it could happen.’’

Peavy has been pushing to make himself useful since the Sox traded for him in 2009. The highest-paid player on the Sox payroll at $16 million this season, Peavy has pitched through a variety of injuries to make 20 starts for the Sox, posting a 3-0 record with a 1.35 ERA in 2009 and a 7-6 mark with a 4.63 ERA last season.