Michael King Injury: Moving in positive direction

King (shoulder) isn't yet throwing off a mound, but he's pain-free and has been able to increase the intensity and distance of his throws, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

King has been out since mid-May due to a pinched thoracic nerve in his right shoulder, and he was initially unable to throw a baseball at all. The fact that he's now playing catch suggests considerable progress, though a timeframe for his return to game action probably won't be established until King is able to throw off a mound again. Manager Mike Shildt said that the team is "as optimistic as [they've] been" about King's status but also indicated that the Padres are "guarding the optimism," so it appears the right-handed hurler still has several boxes to check before he's ready for a potential rehab assignment.