Fernandez tragically passed away in a boating crash Sunday morning (Getty)
Sunday morning the sports world was stunned by the news that Miami Marlins pitcher José Fernández passed away in a boating crash in south Florida. Fernández, who defected from Cuba with his mother and sister in 2007 at the age of 15, was just 24 years old when he passed away. Originally scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale against the Braves, it was announced Saturday that Fernández’s next start was pushed back to Monday against the New York Mets. Fernández was one of three people to pass away in the crash.
As a result of Fernández’s passing, the Marlins have cancelled their game against the Braves. No decision has been made regarding Monday’s game against the Mets.
Drafted 14th overall by the Marlins out of Braulio Alonso HS in Tampa, Florida in the 2011 MLB Draft, Fernández, who was given a $2 million signing bonus, began his professional career with the Jamestown Jammers of the Class A New York-Penn League. With the Jammers Fernández lost his lone start, giving up five earned runs. In 2012 Fernández would pitch for the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the Class A South Atlantic League and the Jupiter Hammerheads of the Class A Florida State League, finishing with a combined record of 14 wins and one loss with a 1.75 ERA.
Fernández pitched in the 2012 All-Star Futures game and was also named the Marlins’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year, and injuries within the pitching staff opened the door for Fernández to make the 25-man major league roster to start the 2013 season.
To the surprise of some, Fernández immediately established himself as one of the best young players in the game. During that season Fernández made 28 starts, finishing with a record of 12 wins and six losses with an earned run average of 2.19. Fernández made the National League All-Star team that season, and at season’s end he was named National League Rookie of the Year and finished third in the NL Cy Young Award voting.
Fernández finished his rookie season with 187 strikeouts and 58 walks, with batters hitting just .187 against him. At 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, the right-handed Fernández was a true power pitcher in every sense of the phrase but also possessed an excellent command of the strike zone. Fernández threw a four-seamed fastball that consistently hit the mid-90s in the radar gun, with a slurve, changeup and sinker being his complimentary pitches.
After his rookie season expectations were high for Fernández in 2014, but this would be the first of two seasons in which the pitcher had to deal with health issues. Fernández finished that season with a 4-2 record and a 2.44 ERA in eight starts, with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow being discovered during an MRI in mid-May of 2014. As a result Fernández underwent Tommy John surgery, thus ending his season.
As a result of the surgery Fernández didn’t make his 2015 debut until early July of that year, and he would post a record of six wins and one loss with a 2.92 ERA in 11 starts. Fernández was placed on the disabled list in August 2015 with a right biceps strain, returning in September to finish out the season. In the 2014 and 2015 seasons combined, Fernández tallied 149 strikeouts to just 27 walks.
Fernández made 29 starts for the Marlins this season, posting a record of 16 wins and eight losses with a 2.86 ERA. In 182.1 innings pitched, Fernández racked up 253 strikeouts to just 55 walks and finished with a WHIP of 1.12. After having some command issues early in the season, Fernández focused on improving his mechanics and his improved pitching was one reason why the Marlins were a factor in the wild card race for much of the summer.
For his career Fernández, who was an NL All-Star in 2013 and 2016, finished with a record of 38 wins and 17 losses with a 2.58 ERA. Opponents hit just .209 against Fernández, who had a WHIP of 1.05 for his four-year career. And his career fielding independent pitching (or defense-independent component) earned run average was among the best in the live-ball era of Major League Baseball.
Best FIP in Live-Ball era by starting pitchers (min. 400 IP)
Jose Fernandez – 2.43
Clayton Kershaw – 2.54
Sandy Koufax – 2.69
R.I.P., Jose
Offensively Fernández had a total of 136 at-bats in his major league career, hitting .213 with two home runs and 14 runs batted in. Fernández homered as a rookie and in 2015, and this season he was hitting .250 with six runs batted in and eight successful sacrifices.
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