OAKLAND — Sonny Gray fared well Saturday in his first bullpen session since going on the disabled list, A’s manager Bob Melvin said.
Should the right-hander feel good coming out of that, the plan would have him throwing off the main Coliseum mound Tuesday. He still wouldn’t be facing hitters, but would take breaks to simulate getting up and down during a game, according to Melvin.
When, or if, Gray will head out on a rehab assignment still is unknown. Melvin didn’t sound as certain Gray would pitch in a minor league game before returning. But he’s still expected to miss at least one more turn through the rotation.
“We haven’t discussed that yet,” Melvin said regarding a rehab assignment. “Whether it’s a simulated (game) situation or a rehab, we’re not really sure yet.”
Fellow right-hander Henderson Alvarez, who aggravated his shoulder two weeks ago during a minor league start, threw from 105 feet Saturday and continues to come along well since that setback.
“It’s encouraging,” Melvin said. “Once you get out to that distance and let it go, it’s a pretty good idea of how the shoulder’s feeling. And he felt good today.”
Reliever Liam Hendriks (triceps strain) will throw off a mound Monday. Fellow reliever R.J. Alvarez (elbow surgery) will face hitters Tuesday, and he said he might throw in a game for Single-A Stockton shortly after that.
