10-year Marliniversary: Fernández breaks Dempster's single-season strikeout record

[Mike Ferguson]

As most know, the life and Major League Baseball career of José Fernández was cut tragically short as the right-handed pitcher for the Miami Marlins died while operating a boat in September 2016. Although Fernández has become a tale of “what could have been,” his impact on the mound was undeniable over just four big-league seasons.

On this day 10 years ago, Fernández made Marlins history. In a 3-0 win over the Kansas City Royals, Fernández tossed a gem and broke the club’s single-season strikeout record.

Fernández was five strikeouts shy of tying Ryan Dempster’s 16-year-old record of 209 punchouts, set in 2000, as he took the mound at Marlins Park on Aug. 24, 2016. Fernández stole the show by scattering six hits and two walks in seven shutout innings while striking out nine.

After stranding runners in scoring position in each of the two innings, Fernández eventually settled in, allowing three hits over his final five innings. Fernández struck out a batter in each of the first three innings before tying Dempster’s record by fanning Paulo Orlando and Christian Colón to open the fifth.

In the sixth, Fernández was again able to pitch out of trouble after allowing consecutive singles to Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez to open the inning. Fernandez made Marlins history by striking on Alex Gordon on three pitches, using his devastating curveball to surpass Dempster atop the club’s single-season strikeout list. Three pitches later, Fernández got Alcides Escobar to ground into a double play to end the threat.

Despite the outstanding pitching effort from Fernández, the Marlins were still in a scoreless tie as the contest went to the bottom of the sixth. There to jumpstart the offense was Fernández.

With one out, Fernández started the rally with a single. Dee Strange-Gordon and Martín Prado followed with singles of their own to load the bases before another single—this one from Christian Yelich—plated two and broke the 0-0 tie. Marcell Ozuna capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly three pitches later.

Now leading 3-0, Fernández put the exclamation point on his record-breaking night by striking ot the side in the top of the seventh. After AJ Ramos worked a 1-2-3 eighth, Fernando Rodney was able to leave the bases loaded in the ninth to seal the win.

In addition to his stellar night on the mound, Fernández had two of the seven hits for Miami. Escobar finished with two of the eight hits for Kansas City.

An All-Star for the second time in 2016, Fernández finished the year with a Miami record of 253 strikeouts – a mark that may last awhile. He first moved into first place on the single-season list on this day a decade ago.

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[Jose Herrera]

I did not know young Ryan Dempster was that good, but breaking the record by 44 strikeouts does show how awesome Jose Fernandez was. What a play by Adeiny Hechavarría in the bottom of the 9th🤯