Cespedes tapes Fernandez Mets jersey to dugout wall
With teams across major-league baseball paying respects to Miami Marlins starter Jose Fernandez following news of his death Sunday morning, Yoenis Cespedes took it a step further, honoring the 24-year-old by taping his No. 16 jersey in the dugout ahead of the Mets' game against the Phillies.
Both Fernandez and Cespedes were born and raised in Cuba, with Cespedes defecting to the United States as an International free agent in 2011. That same year, Fernandez was drafted 14th overall by the Florida Marlins after several failed attempts to defect.
Two other Cuban players, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig and Chicago Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman, tweeted out pictures of them embracing the Marlins starter. Puig also taped a Dodgers No. 16 Fernandez jersey in their dugout before Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies.
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