Sickbay starting to empty

The word from sickbay is promising. Several Giants players are closing in on significant steps toward recovery, though the club is exercising caution with Madison Bumgarner.

Manager Bruce Bochy said Bumgarner will make at least three rehab starts before joining the Giants, a revised and more conservative timetable than previously conveyed.

“Three minimum, and we’ll see where he’s at after the third one and then make the decision whether he’ll need that fourth one or not,” Bochy said.

Bumgarner is scheduled to make his first rehab start for Triple-A Sacramento a week from Saturday. If he pitches every fifth day, his third rehab start would be June 5. Five days later ( June 10), the Giants play in Washington. Ten days later ( June 15), they’re at Dodger Stadium.

Bumgarner will throw off a mound Wednesday for the second time since he broke his left pinkie March 23 and will throw to hitters for the first time Tuesday.

“He feels fine,” Bochy said. The same goes for Mac Williamson, shelved since April 24 with a concussion. Williamson has passed tests “with flying colors,” according to Bochy, and, if he continues to stay clear of concussion symptoms, would be cleared to start a rehab assignment this weekend.

Reliever Mark Melancon finally has a timetable in the wake of the stem-cell injection in his pronator April 12. He’ll face hitters Thursday and, if all goes well, start a rehab assignment Sunday or Monday. He is expected to make several minor-league appearances.

Second baseman Joe Panik, who underwent left thumb surgery April 30, is at least two weeks from a rehab assignment, Bochy said. Panik is able to close his glove but isn’t yet catching the ball. He’ll take dry swings later in the week as he continues to improve his grip strength and will accompany the team on next week’s trip to Houston and Chicago, where he’ll ramp up his baseball work.

Right fielder Hunter Pence (thumb sprain) has seven hits in his past 15 at-bats at Sacramento. Bochy didn’t indicate when Pence would return to the Giants.

Briefly: Outfielder Austin Slater was optioned to Sacramento, and Miguel Gomez was recalled from Double-A Richmond to provide depth at second base in the absence of Panik and Alen Hanson . ... Bochy is considering resting Brandon Crawford on Wednesday, so Gomez could get a start with Kelby Tomlinson moving from second to short. ... Matt Harvey will make his second start Wednesday since the Reds acquired him from the Mets. Harvey threw four hitless innings in L.A. in his first start, quite a contrast from his New York days. ”Great (acquisition) by Cincinnati,” Bochy said. “I think a change of scenery is probably good for him.”