Miami Marlins Jose Fernandez Killed In Boating Accident

The Miami Marlins ace pitcher died early Sunday when a boat he was in flipped over. The baseball world is in shock.

Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez died early Sunday morning near Miami in a boating accident. The boat he rode in with two other people capsized and they are all gone. He was 24.

Fernandez, at the time of his passing this morning, was considered one of the premier pitchers in Major League Baseball.

His last start came Tuesday at home against the Washington Nationals, a game I live tweeted for District on Deck. On a night where he utterly dominated the Nats, fanning 12 and scattering three hits in eight innings, what struck me was just how powerful he was. The Nats just could not make contact.

More from District on Deck

He owned them and the city of Miami. In their nearly empty stadium, Fernandez treated the field as if it was a Broadway stage.

Fernandez was born in Santa Clara, Cuba on July 31, 1992. Three times, his family tried to escape the island, the fourth time they made it to Florida. His impact on both places is greater than playing baseball.

In his brief four-year career, he went 38-17 with a 2.58 ERA. After a strong debut season in 2013, he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2014. This season was his first full one since the injury.

Fernandez was a Hall of Fame player in waiting. A two-time All-Star, the 2013 NL Rookie of the Year and third place finish in the Cy Young voting, he bounced back this year. Winning 16, he struck out 253 and allowed 149 hits in 182.1 innings. For a pitcher who just turned 24, his future had no limits.

Except one, a tragic accident that will be felt deeply in two countries.

I go back to watching him Tuesday night. Every pitch was perfectly placed. He went out there with an air of an orchestra conductor. He dictated his terms and the Nationals could only tip their cap in appreciation.

How five days later that could be gone forever is beyond my thoughts and words. As the new guy here, I looked forward to their meetings next year or watching his games on MLB.tv. Like Clayton Kershaw or Max Scherzer, Fernandez’s starts were artistic. In an industry where we jade easily, the jaw would drop watching him mix and match pitches making the best hitters of the game look bad.

Next: How the Nats Won The NL East

Our loss pales compared to his families in Florida and Cuba. For all he accomplished in his much-too-brief life, at 24 the best years of life were ahead. On this sad day that is the hardest to swallow.

Home/Nationals News