The Marlins entered Sunday trying to survive in the NL Wild Card race. Sadly, they are going to have to go on without Jose Fernandez. The Marlins ace died early on Sunday morning in a boating accident in Miami Beach. Fernandez leaves behind his wife, an unborn child, and a plethora of fans and supporters. He was just 24 years old.
It has not been an easy ride to begin with for Fernandez. The star pitcher came out of the gate swinging in his debut season, winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2013. Unfortunately, his 2014 season was short-lived, when Fernandez was put on the shelf with Tommy John Surgery. Fernandez, however, returned in 2015 with a mission to return to his former glory. He returned to the mound and, despite missing time, finished the season with a 6-1 record and a stingy 2.92 ERA. In addition, he also made an impact at the plate, bashing a home run to left field in his first game back.
This season, Fernandez got his first taste of a Pennant race, keeping his team in the race the whole way. Fernandez also established himself as one of baseball's best pitchers, and a definite candidate for the NL Cy Young award. His final 2016 season totals include a 16-8 record and a 2.86 ERA. Fernandez is currently second in the NL in strikeouts (253), and ninth in ERA. His final career stats include an impressive 2.58 ERA to go along with 589 strikeouts.
However, Jose Fernandez is more than just a pitcher. He was more than just a teammate. Jose Fernandez was a friend, whether you knew him personally or not. Highlighted by his nice smile and energetic personality, Fernandez became a fun player to watch, even if he was dismantling your team. Jose Fernandez became a star in the eyes of Marlins fan and the baseball world with his skills and personality. He will truly be missed, and we will never know how great he could've been. All we can do is remember how great he was.
The Marlins and Braves have officially cancelled their game. More details of this horrific tragedy will be revealed in the coming days. Jose Fernandez and his family, friends, and teammates remain in our thoughts and prayers.
