What Happened To Jose Fernandez?
It’s been over two years since Jose Fernandez died in a tragic boating accident, and his memory still looms large in the hearts of baseball fans everywhere. In this blog post, we take a look at what happened to Jose Fernandez and how his death has affected the game of baseball.
Jose Fernandez’s Early Life
Jose Fernandez was born in Cuba in 1992, and he and his family attempted to defect to the United States on multiple occasions before finally succeeding in 2007. Fernandez grew up in Florida, and he was a star pitcher in high school and later in college. In 2011, Fernandez was drafted by the Miami Marlins, and he made his MLB debut in 2013.
Born in Cuba
Jose Fernandez was born in Cuba in 1992. He and his family attempted to defect from the country on three separate occasions before they finally succeeded in getting to the United States in 2007. Once they arrived in America, they settled in Tampa, Florida.
Fernandez always loved baseball and played whenever he could. He continued to play even after suffering an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. He was drafted by the Miami Marlins in 2011 and made his Major League debut in 2013.
Fernandez quickly became one of the best pitchers in baseball. He was selected for the All-Star team two times and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2013. He had a career record of 38-17 and a 2.58 ERA.
Tragically, Fernandez died in a boating accident in 2016 at the age of 24.
Escaped to Miami
In 2005, at the age of 15, Fernandez and his mother defected from Cuba on a small boat. They were picked up by the U.S. Coast Guard and taken to Guantanamo Bay, where they spent several weeks before being released into the United States. Fernandez’s father had arrived in the U.S. a few years earlier and settled in Tampa, Florida; the family was eventually reunited there. In an interview with ESPN in 2016, Fernandez said that his time at Guantanamo Bay was “tough” but that he was “happy” to be in the United States.
Fernandez attended Braulio Alonso High School in Tampa, where he played baseball and was friends with future Major League Baseball (MLB) players Mike Zunino and Anthony Rizzo. After graduation, he enrolled at Abeiku Santana University Center in Tampa and then Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, but he dropped out after a few months to focus on baseball.
Pitched for the Miami Marlins
Jose Fernandez was born in Cuba in 1992, and he defected to the United States in 2007. He pitched for the Miami Marlins from 2013 until his death in 2016. Fernandez was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, and he was also a two-time All-Star. He tragically died in a boating accident in 2016 at the age of 24.
Jose Fernandez’s Death
On September 25th, 2016, the baseball world was shaken by the tragic death of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez. Fernandez had been one of the most promising young talents in baseball, and his death came as a shock to many.
Died in a boating accident
Jose Fernandez was a Cuban-born professional baseball player who pitched for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He died on September 25, 2016, in a boating accident off Miami Beach, Florida.
Fernandez was born in Santa Clara, Cuba, and began playing baseball at a young age. When he was 15 years old, he attempted to defect from Cuba by boat, but was intercepted by the Cuban government and spent time in prison. He eventually defecting successfully in 2007 and went on to play minor league baseball in the United States.
The Miami Marlins selected Fernandez with the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut in April 2013 and became one of the best pitchers in baseball, being named an MLB All-Star twice and winning the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award.
Fernandez died at age 24 when his boat crashed into a jetty off Miami Beach. His death came as a shock to the baseball world and led to an outpouring of grief from players, fans and others.
Wasn’t wearing a life jacket
Jose Fernandez was one of baseball’s brightest young stars. The 24-year-old Miami Marlins pitcher died early Sunday morning in a boating accident, plunging the sports world into mourning.
Fernandez and two other men were killed when their 32-foot boat slammed into a jetty off Miami Beach, officials said. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigators said the boat appears to have been going full speed when it hit the rocks.
None of the three men on board was wearing a life jacket, officials said.
Alcohol was involved
An autopsy report released on Monday revealed that Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez had alcohol and cocaine in his system when he was killed in a boating accident last month.
Fernandez, 24, and two other men were killed when their 32-foot boat crashed into a jetty off Miami Beach on Sept. 25.
The Miami-Dade County medical examiner’s office said Fernandez had a blood-alcohol level of .147 – nearly twice the legal limit for driving – and also had cocaine in his system.
The Aftermath of Jose Fernandez’s Death
Jose Fernandez’s death was a shock to the entire world. He was one of the most talented young pitchers in baseball, and he had a bright future ahead of him. Fernandez’s death has left a lot of people wondering what happened. Let’s take a look at the aftermath of Jose Fernandez’s death.
The Miami Marlins mourned his death
The Miami Marlins held a moment of silence before their game against the New York Mets on Sunday, 24 hours after news broke of the death of Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez.
Fernandez, 24, and two other men were killed early Sunday morning in a boating accident off the coast of Miami. The U.S. Coast Guard said Fernandez was not wearing a life jacket when his 32-foot vessel hit a jetty at high speed and capsized.
The Marlins cancelled Sunday’s game against the Mets, and players met with team officials to discuss how to move forward.
“We’re family,” said outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, who sobbed during a news conference. “We lean on each other in times like this.”
The team announced that it will wear Fernandez’s No. 16 jersey for the rest of the season, and players will take turns wearing it during games. A patch with Fernandez’s initials will be added to the Marlins’ uniforms.
“He was one of our own,” manager Don Mattingly said. “He represented everything that we all love about this game.”
His number was retired by the team
The Miami Marlins retired Jose Fernandez’s number shortly after his death. His number, 16, was retired on September 25, 2016, before a game against the New York Mets. All of the players on both teams wore Fernandez’s jersey during the game. Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria gave an emotional speech before the game, in which he said, “We love you, Jose. We miss you.”
Fernandez’s girlfriend, Maria Arias, was pregnant with their daughter at the time of his death. She gave birth to their daughter, Penelope, on February 24, 2017.
A memorial was held in Miami
A memorial was held in Miami on Monday for MLB pitcher Jose Fernandez, who was killed in a boating accident on Sunday. The 24-year-old Miami Marlins player was remembered by friends, family and fans as a passionate and joyful person who loved life.
“He lived life to the fullest,” said Marlins manager Don Mattingly at the memorial, which was held at Marlins Park. “He did everything with a smile on his face.”
Fernandez’s death has sent shockwaves throughout the baseball community and the city of Miami. Flags at Marlins Park were flown at half-staff on Monday, and players around the league wore Fernandez’s No. 16 jersey during games.
The Marlins cancelled their game against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday following Fernandez’s death, and they will wear special patches commemorating him for the remainder of the season. A moment of silence was also held for Fernandez before Monday’s game between the Marlins and New York Mets.