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Ventura paid tribute to Fernandez, Taveras in final start

Kansas City Royals / Twitter

On Sept. 30 of last season, Yordano Ventura paid tribute to two fallen baseball players, honoring Jose Fernandez and Oscar Taveras on his ball cap.

It was Ventura's last start of the season, and what would unfortunately be his last as a member of the Kansas City Royals.

After the 25-year-old lost his life in a car accident in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, some touching moments throughout his career in which he paid tribute to baseball players who lost their lives far too young were brought to light. Fernandez, the talented Miami Marlins starter who died in a boating accident at the age of 24 last season, was remembered by many players around baseball with his initials and number written on their baseball caps and jerseys.

Taveras, a 22-year-old St. Louis Cardinals prospect and close friend of Ventura's, died in a car accident that also took the life of his girlfriend in the Dominican Republic on Oct. 24, 2014. Only four days later with the Royals in the World Series against the San Francisco Giants, Ventura started Game 6 and dominated, pitching seven shutout innings in a Royals 10-0 win.

He later dedicated the performance to Taveras.

Andy Marte, a former major-league infielder, also passed away in a separate car accident on Sunday. He was 33-years-old and last played for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014.

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