CHICAGO -- Red Sox ace Chris Sale (shoulder inflammation) has a return date from the disabled list in mind. He threw for the fifth straight day here Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field. He long tossed approximately 100-120 feet.

"We're just strengthening now and building up to make a start," Sale said.

Sale should be able to make multiple starts in the regular season before the postseason begins, Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed.

"Probably he'll be an opener sometimes," Cora joked.

That's not totally a joke though. The minor league season ends in early September. So Sale likely will pitch just a couple innings in his first start like an opener (a role the Rays began using this season).

"The way it's going right now, whenever he gets on the mound he's going to move fairly quick," Cora said. "Obviously we have to build him up. But as you guys know there's not too (many) innings in the minor leagues. And we're going to have to do it at the big league level."

Sale won't throw Saturday. The Red Sox still must discuss his next step. It potentially will be a bullpen session.

Sale said he will pitch off a mound "soon."

"He actually has a (return) day (in mind), but obviously we've gotta go through the medical department," Cora said. "His plan is very close to the one the medical department has. So we're on the same page. One thing for sure, we still need to be very disciplined. And he knows it. But he's getting very itchy. He's feels good. He's throwing. So he can see the light. There's one day he's shooting for that probably makes sense for everybody."

Cora said Sale feels great.

"It looks like we're trending in the right direction," Cora said.

Sale said he feels he won't have any setbacks like the last time he returned from the DL.

"I feel better now just because I think we took more time," Sale said. "There was just more time off from throwing. More time throwing in between days in the bullpen."