Yelich day to day after aggravating knee

MIAMI -- After returning from the disabled list Tuesday and starting the past two games, Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich is sidelined again with a bruised right knee and is considered day to day and was unavailable for Thursday's series finale against Pittsburgh.

The 23-year-old was on the DL Aug. 10-25 with a right-knee contusion.

"He fouled a ball off his ankle/shin [Wednesday], so it's a little tender there -- the knee a little bit as well," manager Dan Jennings said prior to Thursday's contest. "We knew it was going to be touch and go with [the knee]. But to his credit, he jumped back out there for a couple days, so now we just need to let the flare go out and get him back to normal."

Meanwhile, ace Jose Fernandez -- on the DL since Aug. 8 with right-bicep strain -- completed his first bullpen session Thursday afternoon to rave reviews, while injured slugger Giancarlo Stanton is scheduled for live batting practice Monday and Tuesday at Miami's Spring Training Complex in Jupiter, Fla.

Both may return to the Marlins within the first two weeks of September.

"I think it went something like 'Wow,'" Jennings said of Fernandez's bullpen session. "[Head trainer] Sean [Cunningham] said it was very impressive and right on track. It looks good -- jumped out of his hand. So we'll start to build that up now. There'll be another bullpen and a [simulated] game. Somewhere early-to-mid September is a realistic target date [to return]. Where exactly that is, I don't know."

As for Stanton -- out since June 27 with a broken left hand -- the 25-year-old said Tuesday that he hoped to be back in "a week and a half." That could possibly set his return for the Sept. 4 series opener against the Mets at Marlins Park, which Jennings confirmed as a fair estimate.

"I hope somewhere after this road trip [Aug. 28-Sept. 3] we'll have him back in the lineup," Jennings said. "I know, in his mind, he said a week to a week and a half. Just looking at him in the cage swinging, it's coming in a good way."

Monday and Tuesday's live batting practice in Jupiter will be Stanton's first live BP session since the injury.

The Marlins also made a roster move prior to Thursday's game, activating right-handed reliever Andre Rienzo from the 15-day DL (left-knee laceration), while optioning right-hander Scott McGough to Triple-A New Orleans.