Miami Marlins star pitcher José Fernández, 24, was found dead on the morning of Sunday, Sept. 25 after a boating accident. He was a two-time Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star.

The news comes as a crushing blow, both on and off the field, to a franchise reaching for the final wild card spot in the National League.

Marlins Manager Don Mattingly addressed the media on Sunday, recollecting what it was like to watch Fernández play.

“Thinking of José … it’s gonna be thinking of that little kid. I see such a little boy in him … with the way he played,” said Mattingly.

Lorenzo Veloz of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spoke of the details of the accident in a press conference stating that two other men died along with Fernández.

Coast Guard arrived at the scene around 3 a.m. to find the boat overturned. All three men were pronounced dead on the scene.

The team canceled its game scheduled for Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, a game in which José was going to start.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfried spoke on the incident:

“All of baseball is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Miami Marlins pitcher José Fernández.He was one of our game’s great young stars who made a dramatic impact on and off the field since his debut in 2013. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, the Miami Marlins organization and all of the people he touched in his life.”

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