San Francisco @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 1, 2015 ) San Francisco 5, Miami 6

The Miami Marlins have not experienced many positives this season, but Thursday's return of ace Jose Fernandez should generate some much-needed excitement in South Florida. Fernandez, the 2013 National League Rookie of the Year, completes his comeback from Tommy John surgery when the Marlins host the San Francisco Giants in the finale of their three-game series.

"I've been waiting 13 months," Fernandez told reporters. "If I've learned something, it's how to be patient at my age." The 22-year-old is not the only hurler making a return, as the Giants will hand the ball to three-time All-Star Matt Cain, who has not pitched since last July 9 due to elbow surgery and a strained flexor tendon. He will try to give San Francisco a boost as it has dropped the first two games of the series, including a 6-5 heartbreaker on Wednesday thanks to Justin Bour's walk-off three-run homer. The Giants also saw star catcher Buster Posey exit in the fifth inning after taking a foul ball off his mask, but he reportedly passed a concussion test.

TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, MLBN, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Matt Cain (2014: 2-7, 4.18 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jose Fernandez (2014: 4-2, 2.44)

After averaging nearly 14 wins from 2009-12 while posting a sub-3.00 ERA three times, Cain went 10-17 with a 4.06 mark over the next two seasons prior to hitting the shelf last July. He is 6-4 with a 3.20 ERA in 14 career starts against the Marlins. Dee Gordon, Christian Yelich and Adeiny Hechavarria - the top third of Miami's lineup on Wednesday - are a combined 2-for-22 with five strikeouts against Cain.

Fernandez is 16-8 with a 2.25 ERA in 36 career starts, striking out 257 batters in 224 1/3 innings. He posted a 1.59 mark in six April starts last year before giving up seven earned runs in 12 innings in May and then heading off for season-ending surgery. The former first-round pick, who is 12-0 with a 1.09 ERA in 20 career starts at home, never has faced the Giants.

WALK-OFFS

1. Posey is 12-for-26 over a seven-game span.

2. Bour has recorded two homers and four RBIs in the series.

3. Giants 3B Matt Duffy has registered four multi-hit performances in his last six contests.

PREDICTION: Marlins 4, Giants 3