Boston Red Sox

Red Sox past and present grieve for Jose Fernandez

David Ortiz, in particular, took the young ace's death quite hard.

Jose Fernandez showed an exuberance and passion for baseball and life that appeared unmatched at times. AP Photo/Alan Diaz

By Ryan Hathaway

2 minutes to read

When news broke that star young pitcher Jose Fernandez had died in a boating accident, the entire baseball world stopped turning. Major League Baseball, as a whole, skipped a beat as friends and foes turned their attention to a common cause.

The Red Sox were no different, and many of the players took to social media to share their thoughts on Fernandez’s untimely demise.

Pedro Martinez, long a fan of the Miami ace (he suggested the Red Sox should trade for him on Twitter this summer), went as far as to say that the youngster was even more talented than he was. Pedro and other former Red Sox pitchers paid their respects online, as well:

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Hanley Ramirez, a former Marlins player himself, and friend to Fernandez (Ramirez lives in Miami), took the news especially hard. He initially took to Twitter and wrote: “Can’t be true. CANNOT be true!” He then followed that up three hours later when the pitcher’s death was confirmed.

Ramirez also drew Fernandez’s number: “16” in the dirt, when he took the plate in Sunday’s game against the Rays.

Perhaps no Red Sox player was hit quite as hard as David Ortiz.

Fernandez grew up admiring Ortiz, and said he had a special respect for him at the 2016 All Star Game. Ortiz immediately took to the pitcher’s fiery youth, and the two developed a competitive friendship. Ortiz asked that the Rays cancel a tribute video planned to honor him, out of respect for Fernandez.

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Ortiz also honored him by writing “JF16” in silver marker on his hat.

Fernandez developed an appreciation for Ortiz while watching his first baseball game as a 15-year-old in Cuba, as the Cuban National Team took on the Dominican Republic. Ortiz hit a towering home run in the game, and Fernandez would later say that moment made Ortiz his favorite player.

He bought a David Ortiz jersey when he arrived in America after defecting from Cuba. At the All Star Game, Fernandez said he might “groove” a fastball, so Ortiz could homer in his final appearance there. Ultimately, he pitched to Ortiz and walked him, his competitive desire getting the best of him.

Like his teammates, Ortiz delivered a message of mourning on Twitter.

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