Jose Fernandez: "As long as I'm healthy, I'm coming back. It doesn't matter our record."

Jose Fernandez quickly and emphatically put to rest any thoughts of shutting down the rest of the season when he told reporters during batting practice today that he fully intended to pitch again.

"As long as I'm healthy, I'm coming back," Fernandez said without hesitation. "It doesn't matter our record."

As expected, the Marlins placed Fernandez on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a right biceps strain.

But Fernandez said he is relieved that test results showed the injury wasn't anything more serious.

"That was great news," Fernandez said of the diagnosis. "I think it's the best news out of all it. It's been a couple of days. I don't feel any pain. I don't feel anything. So I think it's really good news. I feel really good about it."

Asked if he expected to pitch again this season, Fernandez replied: "For sure. I'm pretty sure, yes."

Fernandez complained of shoulder stiffness after pitching Friday in Atlanta. Though he came out after throwing only 76 pitches over five innings, he said it was the 38-pitch fourth inning that likely caused the injury.

"During the game, that fourth inning I threw a a lot of pitches," Fernandez said. "My arm got a little tired. When I went out and pitched in the fifth inning, I wasn't the same. I was dragging my arm. They just took me out of the game."

"I really don't see it as an injury," he said. "Probably the arm needed a little break. But thank God, it wasn't a big deal."

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Giancarlo Stanton continues to hit inside the cage but has yet to face live pitching, and there remains no timetable on when that will occur.

"He's progressing nice," said manager Dan Jennings. "He'll continue to do baseball activities. You know, it's just about when he gets the strength back in that hand and wrist."

Stanton has missed more than six weeks after breaking the hamate bone in his left hand and undergoing surgery to repair the injury.

"He has been in the cages, starting to feel some strength come back," Jennings said. "So, hopefully, that's a positive side that we can move that clock forward some."

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Reliever Carter Capps (right elbow) threw his first bullpen session Tuesday.

"Went well," Jennings said. "I saw him flat ground and it looked good. The ball was coming out nice. It was great to see. Today was a nice step. He'll have another bullpen, and then somewhere we'll get him in game action, probably in Jupiter."

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