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Marlins' Fernandez: I don't think I'll sleep well ahead of Thursday's return

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Jose Fernandez has spent the last 14 months in and out of doctor's offices, his days consumed by parade of tedious rehab exercises, waiting for his surgically repaired elbow to fully heal.

After more than a year of frustration and checkups, and fruitless bullpen sessions, though, the 22-year-old is finally just one sleep away from returning to the mound for the Miami Marlins.

That said, Fernandez doesn't exactly anticipate getting a full eight hours Wednesday night with his 2015 debut set for 12:10 pm Thursday afternoon at Marlins Park.

"No chance. I don't think I will. I woke up at 8 a.m. today," Fernandez told MLB.com's Joe Frisaro ahead of Wednesday's game.

Whether well-rested or bleary eyed, Fernandez will nevertheless resume a career that began with such promise before a torn ulnar collateral ligament (and the ensuing Tommy John surgery) confined him to spectator's role in May 2014. Though the Marlins have not set a pitch limit for the former All-Star, manager Dan Jennings noted he will be on a "common sense count" against the San Francisco Giants.

In his most recent rehab outing, Fernandez unloaded 90 pitchers - 58 strikes - over five innings for Double-A Jacksonville, allowing four runs on six hits and a pair of walks while fanning eight. The former first-round pick made five rehab starts in total, managing 33 strikeouts while allowing just six walks and two homers in 24 2/3 ininngs.

Before his fateful diagnosis last season, incidentally, Fernandez had authored a 2.25 ERA (170 ERA+) in 36 starts since his debut in April 2013. The ebullient Cuban finished third in Cy Young Award voting as a rookie, and crafted a 2.44 ERA with a mind-boggling 34.1 percent strikeout rate over eight starts in 2014 before his elbow gave out.

"(Thursday) should be a fun day for everybody -- for South Florida, this organization and this team, and most importantly, for Jose," Jennings said. "He's been working extremely hard to get back to this place and this opportunity. I think it's great for baseball. He's truly one of the faces of the game with his energy, so there are a lot of positives to this."

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