Former Toronto Blue Jays All-Star Shortstop Tony Fernandez Dies At 57

The Toronto Blue Jays are mourning the death of former All-Star shortstop and World Series champion Tony Fernandez who passed away Sunday following a battle with kidney disease. He was taken off life support in a Florida hospital and was surrounded by family members when he died, Imrad Hallim, the director and co-founder of the Tony Fernandez foundation told Fox News. Fernandez had previously been in a coma and had waited years for a kidney transplant.

“The Toronto Blue Jays are deeply saddened by the passing of Tony Fernandez, one of the club’s most celebrated and respected players,” the Blue Jays said in a statement on Sunday. “Enshrined forever in Blue Jays history on the Level of Excellence, Tony left an equally indelible mark in the hearts of a generation of Blue Jays fans during his 12 unforgettable seasons with the team. His impact on the baseball community in Toronto and across Canada is immeasurable. Our deepest condolences are with the Fernandez family during this time.”

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Fernandez played 12 seasons as a Blue Jay in four different stints including the 1993 season when Toronto won the World Series for the second consecutive year. During his career, Fernandez made the All-Star team four times and was a five-time Gold Glove winner. He is the all-time Blue Jays’ leader in hits (1,583), singles (1,160), triples (72) and games played (1,450). His career spanned 17 years from 1983-2001 and he also made appearances with the Padres, Mets, Reds, Yankees, Indians and Brewers. He finished his career with a .288 batting average, a .746 OPS and 2,276 hits.

Article by Frank DeLorenzo