The tragic death of Jose Fernandez took a toll on everyone in the baseball world, but it hit few players harder than Aledmys Diaz.
In the days since Fernandez died in a boating accident in Miami, countless players, coaches and broadcasters spoke about how friendly and welcoming Fernandez could be. Diaz, the St. Louis Cardinals’ shortstop, has seen and lived that truth for a long time, though.
Diaz grew up on the same street as Fernandez in Cuba, and the two were friends. As USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale wrote Wednesday morning, the two “were inseparable,” and Fernandez’s death was “like his own brother was dead.”
Diaz actually traveled to Miami on Monday to grieve with Fernandez’s family after the shocking news broke. Diaz returned to St. Louis on Tuesday and tried to return to work.
And he did so in an incredible way.
Diaz came to the plate in the fourth inning with the bases loaded — and the Cardinals in the middle of an airtight playoff race — and, of course, he hit his first career grand slam.
[mlbvideo id=”1191394383″ width=”640″ height=”360″ /]
After rounding the bases and returning to the bench, Diaz stepped out of the dugout, looked skyward and raised his helmet toward the heavens.
“It was emotional,” Diaz told reporters after the game, per USA TODAY. “It means a lot to me, and for his family. They’ve been though a lot of things the last couple of days, and hopefully this helps a little bit. Makes them feel a little bit better.
“He can’t be in a stadium anymore, so it’s tough.”
Diaz’s home run is the second emotional round-tripper in two days following Fernandez’s death. After an emotional pregame ceremony in the Marlins’ first game since Fernandez died, Miami second baseman Dee Gordon stepped to the plate and hit his first home run of the season.
Thumbnail photo via Jeff Curry/USA TODAY Sports Images
