Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, who died Sunday in a boating accident, will be forever remembered as part of the franchise.
According to Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post, the organization announced Monday it will retire his No. 16.
Fernandez will become the first Marlin to have his jersey retired, per Kenny Ducey of Sports Illustrated. The only number Miami has ever retired was Jackie Robinson’s No. 42.
The 24-year-old Fernandez was one of the brightest stars in the game. Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald noted every player on the Marlins will wear the No. 16 that is set to be retired during Monday’s game against the New York Mets.
Miami canceled its game Sunday against the Atlanta Braves after the news of Fernandez’s death emerged, and Habib said the team will not make it up unless it is necessary in the playoff race.
According to Habib, the Marlins will hold tributes to Fernandez between innings Monday, and they revamped the music as a way of honoring him. Habib shared an image of fans lining up to remember the pitcher:
The Marlins were not the only team to honor Fernandez. As Michael Edison Hayden of ABC News noted, Major League Baseball held a moment of silence before every game Sunday. The NFL’s Miami Dolphins did the same before their matchup with the Cleveland Browns.
Numbers are typically retired in baseball and many sports as a way of remembering some of the all-time greats on the field. While Fernandez was in just his fourth season at the MLB level, he was well on his way to becoming just that for the Marlins.
The two-time All-Star won the 2013 National League Rookie of the Year and never posted an ERA above 2.92 or a WHIP above 1.16. He also had 589 strikeouts in 471.1 career innings, emerging as one of the league’s most electrifying pitchers.
Fernandez was known for more than just his on-field prowess. The Cuban-born pitcher was a fan favorite in Miami, and Tyler Kepner of the New York Times described him as someone who “brought ebullience” to the game.
He was once jailed for attempting to defect from Cuba and even saved his mother from drowning during a defection attempt, per Kepner.
Though Fernandez was young, there was already so much to remember about him. The Marlins made sure their fans will do so for years to come by retiring his number.
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