Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez announced his intentions to return to the mound on July 2nd vs the San Francisco Giants.

Fernandez has been out of commission since last May when he fell victim to a torn ulnar collateral ligament. Fernandez underwent Tommy John surgery and has been on a rehab schedule ever since.

The 22-year old made his announcement during Monday's television broadcast. Fernandez will make a couple of more rehab starts in the minor league system. If there are no problems, the right-hander will join the big league club and prepare for his first Major League start in over a year.

In two rehab starts so far, Fernandez had been a member of the Single-A Jupiter Hammerheads. The first start featured a poor performance stat wise by Fernandez, but the key was his health. Fernandez left that start feeling fine and then was dominant in his second start. While being efficient with his pitches, the right-hander racked up strikeouts and held the opposition scoreless.

Miami remains in contention despite its poor record and lengthy list of injured players. Getting Fernandez back in the mix could be a game-changer for the Marlins. While it is unlikely that Fernandez will immediately return to Cy Young form, his presence alone could be significant for the Marlins

It remains to be seen who the Marlins will demote to make room for Fernandez. The team also needs to make a move soon for Jarred Cosart's expected return.