MIAMI — Everyone at Marlins Park knew Monday night would be unlike any other game staged in South Florida. Some wondered how it could even happen at all after the shocking death of their young ace, Jose Fernandez, in a gruesome boating accident less than 48 hours earlier.
The scene was heartbreaking, and for those in uniform — the entire roster wore Fernandez’s No. 16 for the series opener against the Mets — it was almost unbearable. The Marlins, after a 50-minute team meeting, took batting practice beneath a giant, black-and-white 16 high above them on the center field video board. Off to the side, not far from the on-deck circle, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria declared that Fernandez’s 16 would be retired.
“Nobody’s going to wear it,” Loria said. “I can tell you that now. Nobody will wear that number again.”
That was the first immediate, definitive gesture by the Marlins to solidify the legacy of Fernandez, who perished early Sunday morning, along with his two friends, Emilio Macias, 27, and Eduardo Rivero, 25. Otherwise, the team was still struggling with the tremendous loss, both for the Marlins and the surrounding community. They canceled Sunday’s game with the Braves, but a day later, it was time to return to work.
In a tragic twist, Fernandez was supposed to pitch last night, only because the Marlins pushed him back from his scheduled Sunday start. Manager Don Mattingly, still fighting back tears yesterday, said the decision continued to haunt him, as did team president David Samson.
“We told him that this was his day,” Samson said. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot. If he had pitched, maybe fate would be different. I’ve been thinking about that a lot, too. There’s been a lot of talking and a lot of crying and a lot of praying and a lot of trying to make sense of something that you can’t make sense of.
“There’s no sense to a life ended like that, in a way that is so meaningless. And so it’s our job to make his life matter and we’re going to do it forever.”
The Marlins made sure this still was Fernandez’s day, but in a way that no one would have imagined, not for someone just 24, so full of life with a brilliant future ahead. The team put together a touching pregame tribute.
The night began with a trumpet rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” as a Fernandez photo slide show played on the videoboard.
The Marlins’ starters encircled the pitcher’s mound during the ceremony. A sobbing Marcell Ozuna tried to cover his face with his cap. Tears streamed down the faces of Giancarlo Stanton and Martin Prado, as well.
Both teams set up along the baselines for the national anthem, not unusual for such an event. What happened next was, as the Marlins and Mets then converged for a group hug in the middle of the infield, with many players embracing or shaking hands. The stadium was completely quiet during the heart-wrenching affair. No music, nothing. Just a shared understanding of the loss.
The Marlins then went to the mound, drawing messages in the dirt. They then huddled around a visibly shaken Stanton, who spoke through tears.
The Marlins quickly showed they were ready to honor Fernandez. Leadoff hitter Dee Gordon began his at-bat from the right side, a tribute to Fernandez, and then launched his first home run this season — into the second deck. Gordon had tears as he scored, and upon his return to the dugout, wept as he embraced his teammates.
“They’re going to play just the way Jose would like them to play and the way they played for him,” Loria said before the game. “There was always an uptick in energy when he was out there because he basically demanded it.
“But also when you were out there, he never disappeared into the clubhouse. He was a guy that rooted them on all the time. You ever notice when we won a game? He was always the first guy over the top and always positioning himself so he could be celebrating first.”
Instead, the Marlins celebrated Fernandez last night. And for a few hours, that allowed them to see some light through the darkness.