Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton took batting practice on Friday for the first time since injuring his right shoulder in April.
The 2010 AL MVP said he faced between 40 and 50 pitches and felt good.
"I didn't have any problems swinging," Hamilton said. "The main thing I was worried about was my timing. I hadn't seen live pitching in a while. I wasn't going to get balls, I let them come to me and had good balance."
Hamilton will continue hitting in the cage for the next few days, then have a CT scan next week to determine how well the shoulder is healing.
Hamilton was hurt on a headfirst slide into home plate in a road game against Detroit on April 12. The original prognosis for his return was six to eight weeks, although Hamilton has said all along that he has no personal timetable.
"They (medical) personnel tell me when I can go and when I can't go," Hamilton said.
Manager Ron Washington liked what he saw from Hamilton in the batting cage.
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"His swings were normal, his follow-through was normal," Washington. "Now it's just a matter of him getting some swings and getting the rust off."
Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz also continues to progress from a strained right quad that landed him on the 15-day disabled list on May 7.
Cruz took early BP with Hamilton on Friday and will test his leg in running sessions over the weekend.
Barring any complications, Cruz could begin what Washington said would be a five-game rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco next week, with the goal of being activated by the Rangers next weekend.
In other injury news, Rangers right-hander Scott Feldman will start for Frisco in a rehab assignment on Saturday and throw about 80 pitches. Feldman was placed on the 15-day disabled list on March 31 after right knee surgery.
