Fernandez hailed from San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic and was signed by the Blue Jays in 1979 at the age of 17. He made his big league debut in 1983 and would supplant Alfredo Griffin as the team's everyday shortstop in 1985. That year the Blue Jays won their first AL East pennant. Between 1986 and 1989, Fernandez became the AL's premier shortstop winning four straight Gold Gloves and earning three All-Star Team selections.
After leading the AL with 17 triples in 1990, the Blue Jays shocked the baseball world by trading Fernandez and Fred McGriff to the San Diego Padres for Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter. Fernandez was named to the NL All-Star Team in 1992, but Alomar and Carter were wearing World Series rings. A year later, however, Fernandez would earn a World Series ring of his own when he returned to Toronto after struggling for less than half a season with the New York Mets. Fernandez had 9 RBIs against the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1993 World Series.
Fernandez would sign as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds in 1994. Because future Hall of Famer Barry Larkin was at short, Fernandez moved to third base. Fernandez would return to his natural position when he signed with the New York Yankees in 1995. Late that year, he became the first Yankee to hit for the cycle since Bobby Murcer in 1972.
It was to be a two year deal in the Bronx, but Fernandez fractured his throwing elbow during spring training in 1996 forcing him to miss the entire season. The injury to Fernandez forced the Yankees to call up a young shortstop named Derek Jeter. It would be nearly 20 years before the Yankees needed another shortstop.
In 1997, Fernandez joined the Cleveland Indians. With Omar Vizquel at short, Fernandez played primarily at second base. Fernandez's 11th inning HR in Game 6 of the ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles gave the Tribe their second AL pennant in three years. He nearly became a World Series hero when he drove in the Indians' only runs in Game 7 against the Florida Marlins. Instead he became a World Series goat when in the 11th inning, a ground ball hit by Craig Counsell slid under Fernandez's glove. It should have been an inning ending double play. Minutes later, Counsell would score the game winning run on a single by Edgar Renteria.
Fernandez returned to the Blue Jays for a third time in 1998 and put up his best offensive numbers of his career finishing in the Top 10 in the AL in batting both seasons. In 1999, at the age of 37, Fernandez hit a career high .328 and knocked in a career high 75 RBIs while earning his 5th All-Star Team selection.
In 2000, Fernandez played a season in Japan for the Seibu Lions. Fernandez returned to MLB in 2001 splitting the season between the Milwaukee Brewers & a fourth and final stint in Toronto. In 17 MLB seasons, Fernandez collected 2276 hits for a lifetime batting average of .288 with 94 HR and 844 RBI. Upon his retirement, Fernandez was named to the Blue Jays Level of Excellence. While receiving less than 1% of the vote in his only year on the BBWAA ballot in 2007, Fernandez was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. I leave you with Fernandez's 5 RBI performance in Game 4 of the 1993 World Series. R.I.P.
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