How Jose Fernandez touched more than just baseball

Waking up on a Sunday is always an emotional time for me. I wake up, set my lineups and ensue to watch football all day. However, this Sunday morning was different than most. The emotion that built in me as I woke up was nothing I’d ever thought I’d feel. I opened my eyes to read the news and immediately choked up: what? The 24-year-old Cuban phenomenon, Jose Fernandez, was pronounced dead and gone. I walked out of my room looking for someone to talk to. It wasn’t long before one of my fraternity brothers walked in with the same look I had when I saw the news. We shared a bro embrace and in that moment we felt a legend leave this earth. As a Miami native, my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing with the horrifying news of his early death.

For the Miami Marlins, this death is more than just losing their most talented arm. This death coincides with the loss of the soul of this ball club. His 253 strikeouts in 182 innings this season was unworldly, and yet his loss means more than anything that can be put into numbers for this team. Jose Fernandez was the unquestioned leader of this team both on and off the field. Ever since he emphatically burst onto the scene in 2013 to win NL Rookie of the Year, he has graced South Florida with his joy and charisma. His impact on both the city and the rest of the world will last an eternity.

Perhaps the most incredible thing about Jose Fernandez was how resilient he was in Miami’s home park. In his career at Marlins Park, he had a whopping 29-2 record on the mound with a 1.49 ERA. For those of you not adept with baseball statistics, those are some eye-popping numbers. He was the king of defending home turf. All the while, grinning as he cruised through the opposing lineup.

Upon notice of his death, Miami’s game was cancelled on Sunday. The world waited until Monday night to lay Jose to rest. The Miami Marlins retired his signature number 16 with a heartwarming ceremony in his honor. The entire Marlins team wore the number 16 on Monday.

The culmination of his legacy came during the first at bat. Dee Gordon, a speedy Marlins player with 0 home runs on the season, walked to the plate but what he left there was something not even time could erase. Gordon cracked the ball out of the park, hitting his first home run in honor of Jose himself. As Gordon rounded the bases, tears fled from his eyes. That play was the most emotionally charged thing I’ve ever seen in sports. It was the kind of moment where even 20 years from now, it will still send shivers up my spine.

His death is a reminder that even the brightest of souls aren’t invincible. Eternal is truly the only word to describe Jose Fernandez. Whether it was on the mound or in the dugout, his impact on the Marlins franchise will never be forgotten. He had the potential to be one of the greatest pitchers of all time. Rest in paradise, Jose, your place in history will be everlasting.