Marlins ace Jose Fernandez cleared to throw Oct. 1

Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez, who had season-ending Tommy John elbow ligament-replacement surgery on May 16, has been cleared to start throwing Oct. 1.

The 2013 National League Rookie of the Year met with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles and said he was “feeling great. I’m feeling like I didn’t have the surgery so I think that’s good news.”

“A lot of good news came out of that in going up there and seeing him so I’m really excited,” Fernandez said Friday. “We are going really week-by-week. That was the goal since surgery. … If it’s Opening Day, great. If it’s September next year, great. It will depend on how I feel.”

However, the 22-year-old pitcher did say he would like for his return to be at Marlins Park where he is 9-0 with a 1.19 ERA in 15 career starts.

“Whatever day it is, hopefully I would love for it to be a home game,” Fernandez said.

He plans on throwing either at 30 or 45 feet for three to four minutes during the Oct. 1 throwing session, but does not anticipate expediting the process for a return.

“I’ve got to be really smart about how I’m going to approach this and be really careful because I don’t want to come back for three months, I want to come back for 13, 14 more years that I want to play in the Big Leagues,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez is 12-6 with a 2.19 ERA in 28 career starts. He has 187 strikeout in 172 2/3 innings.

Etc.

Detroit catcher Alex Avila remained sidelined by concussion-like symptoms and was out of the lineup for the opener of a key three-game series at Kansas City. . . . Minnesota’s All-Star closer Glen Perkins was shut down for the season because of a strain and secondary nerve irritation in his left forearm. . . . Tigers right-hander Anibal Sanchez, recovering from a strained chest muscle, said he felt good after throwing a bullpen session Thursday and is expected to throw a simulated game Sunday. . . . Right fielder Jason Heyward was out of Atlanta’s lineup after suffering a bruised left thumb when hit by a pitch from Washington’s Ross Detwiler on Wednesday. . . . White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, who is retiring after the season, rejoined the lineup after being out since early September because of a broken left hand.