The Marlins Honored José Fernández Before Tonight's Game

The Miami Marlins are playing baseball tonight, 36 hours after learning that star pitcher José Fernández had died in a boat crash. Marlins and Mets players took the field for a tribute to Fernández and a moment of silence—many of them unable to hold back tears—followed by the most somber rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” you’ll ever hear.

After the national anthem the Mets and Marlins embraced, followed by the Marlins players gathering around the pitching mound to rub some dirt on their pants. As announcer Rich Waltz explained, throughout his career Fernández would rub the dirt from the mound onto his pants and use it to dry his hands, as growing up in Cuba he had no rosin bags. A teary Giancarlo Stanton then said a few words to his teammates.

The day has been filled with tributes to Fernández, who died early Sunday morning when his boat crashed into a jetty. Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria said “nobody’s going to wear” Fernández’s number 16 again, except for tonight, as every single Marlin is wearing it.

[FS Florida]