Marlins right-hander Josh Johnson threw a 50-pitch bullpen session on Monday.
His next step will be to face hitters on Thursday.
"[It] felt good, felt weird, timing's a little bit off, but it's to be expected," Johnson said. "Just being out there and being able to throw on the mound, [it] doesn't matter what you're throwing as long as you're on the mound. It's always a good step."
Johnson has been on the disabled list since May with an inflamed right shoulder.
In nine starts this season, Johnson is 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA. He last pitched on May 16, going five innings against the Mets.
After facing hitters next Tuesday, Johnson will shut it down.
"[I'm going to] go into offseason mode," he said. "Take about a couple weeks off and get back to what I was doing. It's not been easy, not been fun. You learn something from it, but it's not something you want to be a part of. Just try to find a way to get through it."
Josh Johnson Aiming For Opening Day