Nationals' lefty Gio Gonzalez threw 35 pitches in bullpen session on Thursday

Washington Nationals' skipper Matt Williams updated reporters on the status of rehabbing pitcher Gio Gonzalez earlier this week.

"Gio threw good today," Williams said on Monday, before the Nats took on the Miami Marlins.

"He'll go again tomorrow. He'll stretch out, back out to 120 [feet] again tomorrow and we'll see where he is and then try to line up a bullpen from there. But he threw well today. He felt good today."

Apparently the second throwing session went well for the 28-year-old lefty who was placed on the DL with shoulder inflammation, because reports from Nationals Park today say that Gonzalez threw a bullpen on Thursday:

Gio Gonzalez threw 35 pitches yesterday, will throw a sim game Sunday. Then a rehab start five days later.

— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) May 30, 2014

Gio Gonzalez threw 35 pitches in bullpen yesterday, felt good. Will throw 50 pitch sim game Sunday, then rehab start 5 days later.

— Mark Zuckerman (@ZuckermanCSN) May 30, 2014

Gio Gonzalez threw 35ish pitches in the bullpen yesterday. Felt good, per MW. Plan is for Gio to throw sim game Sunday, then rehab possible

— Dan Kolko (@masnKolko) May 30, 2014

Gonzalez was placed on the DL after struggling with his command in consecutive outings against the Oakland A's and New York Mets in which he gave up 16 hits and 12 runs, all earned in just 7 1/3 IP.

Gonzalez was lifted from an outing against the LA Angels on April 23rd with tightness in his left shoulder, but he made two starts after that against the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies without any signs of an issue.

The left-hander was placed on the DL on May 18th. Blake Treinen made one start in Gonzalez's spot in the rotation, but a weather-related postponement allowed the Nationals to skip that spot in the rotation the second time around so they could keep the other starters on their regular rest.