(WSCR) While there have been no major setbacks with the recovery of John Danks, the team is adamant that the pitcher is a long way away from being completely healthy.

Danks pitched in just nine games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in 2012. The left-hander later had surgery to repair a capsular tear and debris removed from his rotator cuff and biceps.

“As we’ve said all along, every indication we’ve gotten so far is that he’s going to be ready come opening day,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn told The McNeil and Spiegel Show. “With that being said, we know we’re dealing with a pitcher with a shoulder injury. There are inevitably set-backs. There may be a point a week from now or in mid-March where we need to back off a half a step. We feel good right now, but we’re not by any stretch thinking we’re out of the woods on this one.”

On Thursday, Danks threw his first successful bullpen session where he featured four different pitches.

“Overall, yesterday was a good day,” Hahn said. “We’ve had a lot of good days over the course of this offseason with John in terms of him meeting certain milestones. Yesterday was another one. That being said, it’s a long spring and we’ve got a long way to go until April 1.

“I’ve been told the best thing you can be told in this type of situation and that is that our biggest challenge is going to be slowing him down. He feels so good and so strong that John is going to want to do more than we should let him. That’s been communicated to John and he gets that. He’s going to be careful with it. If you’re going to have something to be looking out for in a rehab process, that’s a pretty good one to have.”