SAN FRANCISCO -- Madison Bumgarner threw for the second day in a row Wednesday, a development that should be considered encouraging but not overly exciting.
Recovering from an April 20 dirt-bike accident, Bumgarner increased the distance of his tosses from 45-60 feet to 75 feet, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. Initially, Bumgarner wasn't expected to begin playing catch until Friday.
"Once he starts ramping it up, he'll start skipping days," Bochy said of the four-time All-Star and 2014 postseason hero.
However, Bochy cautioned against assuming that Bumgarner's far ahead of schedule in his timetable as he works toward returning to the mound. In fact, Bochy said, "There's not a definite target date anyway," though mid-July, following the All-Star break has been mentioned as a possible re-entry period for Bumgarner.
"You can look at an area right now. We'll see how the progress goes," Bochy said, adding that a more specific date for Bumgarner's comeback might be determined in about a month.
Bumgarner, 27, is recovering from shoulder and rib injuries during a scheduled off-day outside of Denver.
Worth noting
• Right fielder Hunter Pence was scheduled to begin his Minor League injury rehabilitation assignment Wednesday night at Class A Advanced San Jose, which faces Lake Elsinore. Pence was expected to play for San Jose once more on Thursday against Lancaster. Bochy anticipated that Pence, who's overcoming a strained left hamstring, will need 15-20 plate appearances before the Giants consider activating him from the disabled list.
• Giants right-hander Hunter Strickland said that he has heard nothing from Major League Baseball about his appeal of his punishment for throwing at Washington's Bryce Harper on Monday. Harper's suspension was reduced from four games to three on Wednesday.