Marlins mourn ace: ‘ He played with the joy of a Little Leaguer’

Mike Dunn, a Miami MIAMI Marlins reliever, carried Jose Fernandez’s No. 16 jersey into a news conference Sunday at Marlins Park. From there, the emotions of a team mourning the death of its 24- year- old All- Star pitcher and confident, fun- loving franchise ambassador flowed out.

“This is difficult for me and for everybody,” third baseman Martin Prado said less than nine hours after Miami fire and rescue personnel recovered the bodies of Fernandez and two friends after a boating accident early Sunday. “When I came to the Marlins, I knew one of the main things about the team was Jose. Just to be a part of this team and to watch him go out and win every time it was his turn … he didn’t care who he faced. He didn’t care who we were playing.”

At Marlins Park, Fernandez was nearly untouchable — a 29- 2 record with a 1.49 ERA. In his last start, on Tuesday, Fernandez beat the Washington Nationals 1- 0. “He told one of our teammates that was the best game he had ever pitched,” Prado now he’s gone.”

Fernandez originally was scheduled to pitch Sunday against the Atlanta Braves. But after he beat the Nationals, the Marlins pushed his start to Monday vs. the New York Mets.

The boat — owned by one of his friends who died — struck a jetty at a high rate of speed and flipped. Authorities said speed was a factor but found no evidence of alcohol or drugs and said Fernandez died from the impact of the crash, not from drowning.

Marlins executives were informed at 6: 30 a. m. ET. By 10 a. m., players had gathered at Marlins Park, though their game vs. the Braves had been canceled.

“When I think of Jose, I think about a little kid,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “He played with the joy of a Little Leaguer.”

BRAD PENNER, USA TODAY SPORTS Cuba- born Jose Fernandez, 24, was a two- time All- Star.