TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees ace Chien-Ming Wang threw 25 pitches Friday in his first throwing session off a bullpen mound since hurting his foot in June.

Wang partially tore a tendon and sprained his right foot running the bases during the Yankees' 13-0 interleague win at Houston on June 15.

"It's better. It's good," Wang said.

Wang also made 20 throws off a half-mound before the bullpen session.

The right-hander was 8-2 with a 4.07 ERA in 15 starts before his season-ending injury. He won 19 games in both 2006 and 07.

The Yankees, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 1993, lost more than a combined 30 starts from Wang and Joba Chamberlain (shoulder) due to injuries.

Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinnbrenner said Thursday that the plan for Chamberlain is to start 2009 in the starting rotation.

Chamberlain opened 2008 in the bullpen before becoming a starter on June 3. He was sidelined after his start on Aug. 4 with rotator cuff tendinitis, and worked out of the bullpen after returning on Sept. 2.