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Marlins players to wear No. 16 Jose Fernandez jerseys tonight

By Ted Fleming

Sep 25, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; A jersey hangs in the New York Mets dugout to honor the memory of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez (16) before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; A jersey hangs in the New York Mets dugout to honor the memory of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez (16) before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
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Team to honor late pitching star in game against the Mets at Marlins Park.

Clark Spencer, the beat writer for the Miami Marlins, sent out a tweet that all members of the team will honor their fallen star, Jose Fernandez, by wearing his No. 16 jersey when they host the New York Mets tonight at home.

The Sunday game between the Braves and Marlins was called off and a large No. 16 was painted behind the mound at Marlins Park. It is expected to be there tonight instead of the usual colorful Marlins logo.

Fernandez was scheduled to start the Sunday game, but was pushed back so he could face the Mets in the series opener on Monday. Had his original start remained in place, chances are he would have been home relaxing instead of using an unscheduled day off to go boating.

Fernandez was killed along with two other men in an accident at the entrance of Miami Harbor. The boat was discovered by the Coast Guard just after 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning. The boat, a 32-foot fishing vessel, didn’t belong to Fernandez and it was reported that he was not at the helm when the accident happened.

Next: Miami pays tribute to Jose Fernandez on Marlins Park mound

The 24-year-old defected from Cuba in 2008, and became a citizen of the United States in 2015. He was one of the most exciting young pitchers in baseball, known for his impressive strikeout rate and his bubbly personality.

According to the latest report by Yahoo! Sports, Fernandez died from the impact of the crash and did not drown. No one in the boat was wearing life jackets, although they probably would not have helped considering the impact. Additionally, the Coast Guard did not believe alcohol or drugs were a factor although toxicology results will take some time.

It appears the boat was traveling at full speed which is approximately 55-65 mph when it hit the jetty and flipped over, landing on the rocks.

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