ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery, Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Matt Moore will return to throwing from a mound soon.

On Wednesday morning, Moore said he has thrown periodically throughout the past three months. So far, his throwing work has been completed on flat ground, with his distance capped at 110 feet. But he said he has plans to return to a mound in the coming weeks.

"I throw again on Friday, throw four days next week, and then I’ll get on the mound two times the following week," Moore said. "And then that will start the introduction to the mound."

Moore, 25, had the ligament replacement procedure completed on his throwing elbow by Dr. James Andrews last April, and he was expected to be out 12 to 15 months at the time. Moore said a return to major-league play could come in June, though he admits that’s a "conservative date" for a comeback.

"We should know a lot more at the end of next month as I start to get on the hill and have a chance to respond," Moore said.

Moore, named an American League All-Star in 2013, was placed on the disabled list last April after leaving with elbow soreness in his second start of the season, on April 7 against the Kansas City Royals. He’s 29-17 with a 3.53 ERA and 339 strikeouts in 63 regular-season appearances (61 starts) with the Rays since his debut in 2011.

You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.