Stanton doing what he can to get back on field

MIAMI -- While Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton has been on the 15-day disabled list since June 27 with a broken bone in his left hand, manager Dan Jennings said before Wednesday afternoon's contest vs. the Red Sox that the right fielder is working hard to return this season.

Additionally, injured right-handed pitchers Carter Capps and Jarred Cosart are close to returning to game action, outfielder Marcell Ozuna (sprained left wrist) has resumed hitting in Triple-A New Orleans, and Christian Yelich was held out for the second straight game with a right knee contusion.

"I know [Stanton] wants to get back and finish on a positive note and make his mark on a very solid season," Jennings said. "It's strictly on him. When you have a body that looks like that, you know your body better than anybody else. So he's building towards [returning]. Now it's just gaining the strength of his hand. And you know the importance of strength in the wrist and hand for hitters."

Recently, the All-Star outfielder has been hitting in the batting cage -- taking swings off of a tee and hitting flips. Next in Stanton's progression is live batting practice.

"Yesterday you guys saw him out here shagging during batting practice," Jennings said. "So I think every day he's doing things to push himself."

Meanwhile, the Marlins do not want to push Yelich, who injured his knee on Sunday in Atlanta while climbing the outfield wall in an attempt to rob a home run. He was available off the bench for Wednesday's contest, but he did not start again after being unavailable in Tuesday's 5-4 win.

Video: BOS@MIA: Marlins booth discusses Yelich's knee injury

"We felt with the off-day [Thursday], let's give him today and try to get him 100 percent instead of putting him out there at 70-ish [percent] and having him re-aggravate it," Jennings said.

Ozuna, the third member of Miami's Opening Day outfield, was scheduled to take batting practice on Wednesday for New Orleans for the first time since spraining his left wrist on Saturday. Ozuna, who was optioned to New Orleans on July 6, exited that contest after one at-bat.

As for Capps, who's been on the 15-day DL since Aug. 3 with a right elbow strain, Jennings said he will likely begin a rehab assignment with Class A Advanced Jupiter when the Marlins begin a six-game road trip on Friday. The reliever threw his first bullpen session on Tuesday.

Cosart, meanwhile, will throw his second bullpen session on Thursday. Currently on the Minor League DL with a left inner ear disorder, the righty threw his first bullpen session on Saturday in Jupiter.

"I think we'll have to put him in a rehab game soon and get him stretched a little bit," Jennings said.