Madison Bumgarner to throw off flat ground soon, Bruce Bochy says

San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner is ready for the next step in his rehab after being sidelined since mid-April following a dirt bike accident in Colorado.

Bumgarner, who suffered a Grade 2 AC joint sprain and is expected to be out until after the July 10-13 All-Star break, should be ready to start throwing off flat ground during the current homestand in what manager Bruce Bochy described as a "big step" in the recovery.

"Ride horses, dirt bike riding. We're getting back on them," Bochy joked. "He's feeling better."

An MRI exam in late April determined Bumgarner suffered no structural damage to his shoulder, and it was announced that he would not require surgery.

Bumgarner, 27, is in the last year of a five-year, $35 million contract extension that he signed in 2012. He is 0-3 with a 3.00 ERA in four starts this season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.