Noah Schultz logs third rehab start for Triple-A Charlotte, putting a return to the White Sox on the near horizon

Chicago continues to measure Noah Schultz’s return carefully, and the process took another step forward Friday night in Triple-A Charlotte. The White Sox optioned ace-upside left-handed pitching depth to minor league rehabilitation work, and Schultz’s third rehab start came with a clear benchmark, both in workload and in whether his body could handle the progression.

According to MLB’s game coverage of the rehab outing, Schultz threw 4 2/3 innings and 74 pitches during that start. The number matters because it indicates more than a routine tune-up, it is a stage of return built around innings and pitch counts that can influence when an organization feels comfortable promoting a pitcher back to its major league rotation or bullpen mix.

The rehab is tied to right patellar tendinitis, an injury that often requires more than rest because it can affect the mechanics and repeatability of a pitcher’s lower-body drive. Schultz’s ability to complete the scheduled work in this third session suggested he could tolerate the increased demands compared with earlier steps in the rehabilitation plan.

MLB’s write-up also framed the moment as potentially the last minor league start for Schultz “for the foreseeable future.” That phrasing points to an expectation that the organization is moving from rehab competition toward the next phase of integration with Chicago, either through a direct promotion or through final bullpen/rotation preparation that may come after this turn.

For the White Sox, the practical impact is straightforward. A left-handed starter who is available can change how the team structures its pitching assignments, especially with matchups and bullpen usage. Even if Schultz’s exact role upon return is still being finalized, getting him back from a tendinitis setback has value in both the day-to-day chess of managing innings and in longer-range rotation planning.

The stakes are also personal for Schultz. A rehab process with a patellar issue can create uncertainty about timing, but the repeated completion of rehab work tends to reduce that uncertainty. If the next steps go smoothly, the organization’s window to add him to the major league staff would narrow to days rather than weeks.

What to watch next is whether Schultz’s next workload, after this appearance, follows the same pattern of tolerating pitching intensity. If the White Sox advance him as expected, attention will shift to where he fits, whether as a rotation piece or as a leverage lefty option, and how quickly he can resume regular-season pitch-to-pitch rhythm against major league hitters.