Jose Fernandez's biceps strain could have been worse for Marlins
By David
Brown | Baseball Writer
August 9, 2015 7:17 pm ET
With his Tommy John surgery still fresh in our minds, and not all that long ago on his right elbow, we braced ourselves for more bad news with
Jose Fernandez. It turns out the news --while not good -- could have been much worse.
Fernandez sustained a right biceps strain,
the Miami Herald reported Sunday, and the
Marlins aren't sure how long he'll be out. They're placing Fernandez on the 15-day disabled list, but manager Dan Jennings says he hopes Fernandez will pitch again before the 2015 season ends. Fernandez has made seven starts this season, after making eight in 2014, because of elbow ligament reconstruction a year ago May.
Clark Spencer says the Marlins were fearing something worse than
a muscle strain this time:
Fernandez returned Saturday to Miami, where he was diagnosed with a biceps strain after undergoing a MRI. No structural damage to his shoulder was detected.
“I spoke to Jose this morning,” Jennings said. “I think he definitely has peace of mind. Hopefully, the inflammation will go out of there and we can get him healthy, get him back.”
It was encouraging news for Fernandez and the Marlins. Fernandez, who returned in early July from Tommy John surgery, complained of stiffness in his right shoulder one day after going five innings and throwing 76 pitches on Friday against the
Braves.
Jennings said the recovery timetable for Fernandez's type of injury varies, and it's uncertain exactly when he could return.
“I think we have to be smart, where we are in this season,” Jennings said. “He's worked extremely hard. You guys know how competitive he is, and what it means for him to take the ball and go out and pitch. But we won't do it until we know he's back 100 percent. There's no need to push it or rush
The next thought that pops into one's head might be to just skip the rest of the season and start fresh in 2016. Don't take any chances. And there might not be any harm in playing it safe. Pitchers just out of Tommy John recovery usually have some kind of limit on their workload in the ensuing season. The Washington Nationals, you might recall, shut down Stephen Strasburg at 159 innings in 2012 as part of his Tommy John recovery. And that was during a 98-win season that ended, possibly prematurely, in the playoffs when Strasburg was deemed to be not available. The Marlins have no such kind of considerations; they're 43-68 and trying to not finish with the worst record in the majors.