Athletics' Paul Blackburn: Throwing from flat ground Thursday

Blackburn (finger) said that he will throw a flat-ground session Thursday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Blackburn said that the fingernail avulsion on his pitching hand is healing well, but the Athletics have already ruled him out from being part of the Opening Day rotation. The team hasn't provided a concrete timetable for when Blackburn will be ready to return, but it's a positive sign he's resumed throwing.