Marlins place Jose Fernandez on disabled list with elbow strain

Jose Fernandez, April's National League Pitcher of the Month, will be spending some time on the disabled list, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. After struggling in his last start against San Diego, The 21-year-old right-hander had an MRI today and was diagnosed with a right elbow sprain, though the full extent of the injury is still unknown. The Marlins have called up left-hander Dan Jennings from Triple-A New Orleans to replace Fernandez.

Fernandez, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, has appeared ready to repeat—and possibly even improve upon—his stellar 2013 campaign. He has dominated hitters, increasing his K/9 from 9.75 to 12.19 and decreasing his BB/9 from 3.02 to 2.26, and he has a 2.44 ERA on the season.

The Mets have managed to avoid facing Fernandez in their first two series against the Marlins, and this injury means they may be able to continue that streak. Fernandez is a key piece to the Marlins' future, so expect the team to make his long-term health their priority and proceed with caution.