The Miami Marlins sent staff ace Jose Fernandez back to Miami on Saturday for further examination after experiencing shoulder stiffness.
Fernandez, who returned from Tommy John elbow ligament reconstruction surgery last month after a 14-month rehab, complained of stiffness after pitching Friday night against the Atlanta Braves.
The right-hander worked five innings against Atlanta and finished with 76 pitches in a no-decision that the Braves won 6-3.
“We want to get him seen,” Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. “He’s a guy who is coming off 14 months of rehab from Tommy John. As we do with any pitcher, we’re going to make sure before we run him out there.”
The 23-year-old Fernandez is 4-0 with a 2.30 ERA, 10 walks and 53 strikeouts in six starts this season. Jennings wouldn’t speculate on whether Fernandez, the 2013 National League Rookie of the Year, might miss a start.
“Until they can look at it and determine is it tendinitis, stiffness? He’ll make that determination and we’ll go from there,” Jennings said.