Fernandez, 24, was truly gifted pitcher

nandez would have commanded a contract in the neighborhood of $ 200 million.

He was must- see viewing every time he took the mound. He was 16- 8 with a 2.86 ERA this season with 253 strikeouts in 182 1⁄3 innings, averaging 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

Fernandez struck out 34.3% of the 737 batters he faced. The only pitchers in baseball history who had a higher strikeout percentage were Hall of Famers Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez. Fernandez was that gifted of a pitcher. The debate after the game that evening was whether it would be the final start of his season, but Fernandez, in his typical style, smiled and said that he simply would let the Marlins decide.

“I’m not the manager,” Fernandez said. “I’ll come in here tomorrow and I’ll cheer my teammates and I’ll be ready to go if I have to go, and I understand that whatever happens, it’s not my call.”

The Marlins decided Friday that Fernandez would pitch one more time but moved his scheduled start back to Monday against the New York Mets, and not Sunday against the Atlanta Braves.

If he was still to be pitching Sunday, he never would have been on that boat, instead preparing for his next start.

Fernandez loved the water and loved boats.

He tried four times to defect from Cuba and was intercepted three times by the Coast Guard and imprisoned. He finally made it to Mexico on the fourth try, when his mother fell overboard, and he dived into the water to save her life. He was 15.

Fernandez was reunited with his grandmother from Cuba in November 2013, the day before receiving his NL rookie of the year honor.

“I’m just so glad that I’m here,” Fernandez said. “Really glad.”

Just a week ago, he posted a picture of his pregnant girlfriend, so proud to be a father- to- be.

Today, he is gone.