Athletics' Doolittle to play catch Friday

Oakland Athletics reliever Sean Doolittle will take a major step in his recovery Friday when he plays catch for the first time since being diagnosed in January with a slight tear in his rotator cuff, reported Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Doolittle enjoyed the finest season of his career in 2014, earning an All-Star berth after taking over as closer in May, but will open the upcoming campaign on the disabled list and likely won't be ready to pitch in a game until May.

Doolittle experienced soreness in his left shoulder during offseason workouts, prompting an MRI that revealed the tear in his rotator cuff. Though Doolittle was not required to undergo surgery, the 28-year-old received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his shoulder in January to alleviate inflammation.

In his absence, the Athletics will hand ninth-inning duties to Tyler Clippard, the two-time All-Star acquired this winter in a trade with the Washington Nationals.