OAKLAND -- A's right-hander Sonny Gray was back on a mound Tuesday afternoon, completing a 25-pitch bullpen session without a hitch.
The club's ace, on the mend from a right lat strain, went through the motions just as he would when healthy, taking yet another step toward returning. He'll do so again Friday, before the A's decide if he's ready to face hitters.
"That was the plan going in, just a normal bullpen you would throw in the middle of a season or Spring Training," Gray said. "There weren't any limitations or anything."
It's unclear just how many rehab outings Gray will need once he's cleared for game action, but the expectation all along has been that he'll be back in the rotation by the end of the month.