Lucas Giolito's absence from the White Sox starting rotation, which seems to really be getting old for the young righty, seems like it will be coming to an end quite soon.

General manager Rick Hahn said Friday that the hope was that Giolito could return during the current homestand, and if we're going by the update Giolito provided after throwing in a bullpen session Monday afternoon, it looks like that's what will happen, likely Thursday in the first game of a four-game set against the Boston Red Sox.

"There's still some questions to be answered. But I feel really good," Giolito said. "I feel good to go for games, that's where I'm at."

After throwing 35 pitches in a bullpen session Friday, Giolito estimated that he threw 50 pitches Monday, with no problems involving the hamstring that landed him on the injured list earlier this month. He was dealing against the Kansas City Royals when he strained his hamstring on a pitch in the fourth inning of that game on April 17. He was lifted from the contest and has been on the IL ever since.

Manny Banuelos will start Monday's game against the Baltimore Orioles, with Ivan Nova and Carlos Rodon following in the second and third games of the series, respectively. Reynaldo Lopez pitched Sunday against the Detroit Tigers, so he will pitch on normal rest Friday against the Red Sox. If things are as good as Giolito believed them to be, then he'll get that start Thursday. If the White Sox feel a need to delay Giolito's return a little longer, they could go with Dylan Covey on Thursday. Covey was brought up from Triple-A Charlotte on Monday and has the versatility to pitch as a starter or a reliever.

But the report from Giolito was a positive one, and he sounds ready, downright itching to get off the IL and back into game action.

"I want nothing more than to get back in this rotation and pitch every five days," he said. "I don't think I've ever been on the DL before, other than my Tommy John surgery right when I started my career. It's not fun. I don't enjoy being hurt at all, and I just want to get back out there and compete."